An increase in freshman students means OU Housing must expand. Summer renovation of Couch Center opens the way for growth in the housing community, said Assistant Director of Housing Clarke Stroud.Couch president Dan Baird said the expansion gives the center more options, people and expenses."We'll have more people to work with and more people on President's Council means more new ideas," said Baird, a university college sophomore. The council is made up of the elected president and vice-president of each floor in a center.Baird hopes the new residents continue the center's tutoring/mentoring program at Madison Elementary School.There are about 30 residents participating in the program now."I'm looking forward to building as a community," he said. "It was easy when it was small. This will be a challenge."The center had approximately 300 residents last semester.Couch's entire east side opens in fall for residents. Stroud said with enrollment up, housing is trying to provide space for everyone and lower density populations in the centers.Housing hopes to provide students with additional privacy and space. Freshmen will dominate the center, with some upper-class residences provided.The number of freshmen admitted has raised 15.7 percent, or 622 students, since last year, said Admissions Director Marc Borish.Those students are not yet enrolled and all of them will not likely come to OU.Borish said no figures were available, but "a very conservative estimate" is that OU will have at least 200 more freshmen than last year. Continuing students' enrollment is up slightly, also.The renovations bring Couch "up to standard" with the other centers. The telecommunications department has been installing data connections, so this year's residents will have access to cable and the Internet in their rooms. Cable was unavailable to residents last year. The Internet connections are new to all of housing."Couch is a much better bang for your buck," Stroud said.The College of Continuing Education retains its offices in the west wing of the second through fourth floors.Stroud said he appreciated OU President Boren's interest in the center."He opened the door for us to be able to use Couch as a full-scale housing center."Couch faced permanent closure last year, due to budgeting problems. After visiting the center, Boren decided it would remain open.Cross Center closed at the end of spring 1995. Many of its residents will move to Couch.Couch will have its own center coordinator, Jennifer Davis. Davis will start in July, said Walker Center Coordinator, Jill Floyd. Floyd served dual duties last year as both Walker and Couch coordinator.hello there & you too
