New Academic Year Brings Campus Changes

A new residence hall and student fitness center are just some of the changes to campus that students will see when the 2006-07 academic year begins at the University of Mobile.

North Hall

UM faculty and staff will help families move students into residence halls Aug. 12, prior to classes beginning Aug. 16. Freshmen and sophomore women will be the first residents of the new 151-bed, $5.8 million North Hall. Located just north of Samford Hall, which houses freshmen and sophomore men, North Hall follows a similar design with the addition of another floor. In addition to student lounge areas and meeting rooms, North Hall contains a mini convenience store.

During the summer a Student Fitness Center was opened in “The Commons” in the Ben May Building. The room is open for use by students, faculty and staff and contains a variety of cardiovascular exercise equipment. The Center joins Java City coffee bar, the snack shop and University Bookstore. The area is now one of UM’s internet hot-spots with wireless internet access. Also, the weight room in Pharr Gym was refurbished with new free weights.

Student Fitness Center

The Weaver Hall lobby renovation project, which was delayed due to material shortages caused by Hurricane Katrina, is now complete. The extended lobby provides a welcoming entrance and a beautiful area for receptions in the university’s first building.

A portion of the second floor of the J.L. Bedsole Library was renovated into two classrooms, and the library now provides 24-hour, full-text access to thousands of books in electronic format. Thanks to a grant from The Mosow Family Foundation, Room 201 in Weaver Hall was renovated into a “smart” classroom which integrates technology. The former Office Complex located behind Weaver Hall was renovated and is now the new home for Information Technology services as well as several faculty offices.