Engineering and Computer Science Partners with Campus Living & Learning on First Residential Village

by Lori Scott Fogleman

Campus Living & Learning and the School of Engineering and Computer Science have announced a partnership in establishing Baylor's initial living-learning center, the university's first residential facility to be constructed in 40 years.
Scheduled to open in August 2004, approximately 180 spaces of the 600-bed North Village residential complex will be reserved for Engineering and Computer Science students, who must apply and be admitted to become part of this unique living-learning environment. Students living in this center will not only live in the North Village but also will take at least one course each semester with a cohort of other students participating in the ECS-LLC. The School of Engineering and Computer Science will hire a full-time staff person to direct the program and work with Campus Living & Learning in day-to-day coordination of the center.
By joining this small, close-knit community, students will strike a balance between serious intellectual pursuits and social interaction that will reinforce experiences in the classroom and living room. A steering committee of faculty, staff and students from Campus Living & Learning and the School of Engineering and Computer Science have been meeting bi-weekly since last September to plan for the new center.
The other 400 beds in the North Village will be available for sophomores and up from across academic disciplines.
The 212,000-square-foot facility will be built near the Dutton Avenue office and parking facility, Castellaw Communications Center and the Rogers Engineering and Computer Science Building. The North Village is the first of four projected residential villages to be built over the next decade, which addresses the second imperative of Baylor 2012, the university's 10-year vision -- "to build a truly residential campus."
Living-learning centers in residence halls have gained national support at major universities, such as the University of Maryland, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Ohio State University, for their ability to attract and retain exceptional students seeking a residential experience that is connected to their academic major or a related interest. Over the next five years, Baylor hopes to have living-learning centers for students interested in international affairs, leadership, Arts & Sciences, and fostering a civil society. In most instances, these centers will require students to enroll in at least one common course, will often require a special admission process and may require additional expectations.
Ground breaking on Baylor's North Village will be held in late spring.
For more information, contact Dr. Frank Shushok, associate dean for Campus Living & Learning, at (254) 710-6957 or Dr. Benjamin S. Kelley, dean of the School of Engineering and Computer Science, at (254) 710-3871.