The university’s new north and south freshman residence halls are leaving students living in Couch and Walker centers and David L. Boren Hall with questions about the future of freshman housing and affordability.
In a March 2021 Board of Regents meeting, OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. presented the Freshman Housing Master Plan, a plan for two new freshman buildings to replace Couch, Walker and Adams centers. These plans stemmed from concerns regarding the buildings' age and condition.
"The towers were built in the '60s, the mid-'60s, … so what we are endeavoring to do is go on a multi-year plan to replace those," Harroz said during the meeting.
Construction for the new freshman residence halls began with the north building, recently named McCasland Hall, last summer after the demolition of Adams Center. McCasland Hall is set to be ready to house students by fall 2025. ADG Blatt is the architectural firm heading the project.
These new buildings — which will boast approximately 160,000 square feet and 556 beds each — aim to improve current freshman housing and enhance the student experience.
“With existing residential high-rise towers – Adams Center, Walker Center, and Couch Center – having reached the end of their useable lifespans, the University of Oklahoma took the opportunity to redesign the first year housing experience,” ADG Blatt wrote on its website.
Construction crews working on the new dorm building on Nov. 11.
In the beginning stages of the renovation plans, campus-wide announcements from OU and interviews with Harroz sparked discussion among students over the futures of Couch Center and David L. Boren Hall.
These dorm plans were followed by news of tuition raises. In a 2023 meeting, the Board of Regents approved a 6% increase in housing costs for non-freshman student apartment Traditions Square residents, 9% increase in the meal plan costs and increases in housing costs at Couch Center, Walker Center and Cross Village. In June, OU agreed to raise tuition and overall fees by 3% for the fourth consecutive year.
Oklahoma State University, however, has not increased their tuition or housing rates for the past three years.
In September, Harroz told OU Daily the future of Couch Center and David L. Boren Hall was still being considered.
“We're still talking about Couch. There's a way to rehab Couch, and there's a way to take Couch down,” Harroz said. “Does that work for the students? Does it work overall? That's exactly one of the questions we're looking at.”
According to Harroz, whether Couch Center will be removed or renovated will depend on what works best for students and if future freshman classes continue to grow. Harroz said the decision will be made by fall 2025, but the administration is “actively debating.”
OU has experienced four consecutive years of record breaking freshman class sizes.
Some students who have lived in Couch Center expressed nostalgia for what the residence hall represented during their college journey but understand the need for new infrastructure.
Trinity Bucker, an education senior and current resident adviser for Couch Center, lived in Couch Center during her freshman year. She said her time there was built on community and her love for the traditional freshman-year experience.
“I love Couch. I think that even though the building is older, there are a lot more pros than cons to it,” Bucker said. “I haven't had any issues with it, and I've lived here for two years out of my four years at (OU).”
In her first college years, Bucker struggled to balance college life with her financial situation. Since Couch and Walker centers are seen as an affordable option for many freshmen, Bucker said the new residence halls need to have a balance between improved facilities and affordability.
“I know that (OU is) trying to have some that are also cheaper so that certain things will be not a higher cost so that we can still have room for people who have finances as an issue,” Bucker said. “It does suck for people who don't get in. I can understand how that might be an issue, but they are thinking about that with the new dorms.”
Bucker expressed her concern over the tower's possible demolition and said her positive experiences at Couch Center don't outweigh the need for renovation.
“I understand that we are competing with other schools that have nicer dorms,” Bucker said. “Having nicer dorms does bring more people to OU, which is good.”
New dorms construction site on Nov. 11.
Similar feelings are expressed for Walker Center, which has provided a place for freshmen to connect and build relationships. Aaron Brooks, a creative media production junior, understands the reasoning behind the decision but sees the value in what the residence hall provides for underclassmen.
“I liked the people, my roommates, everyone was great. So it's sad, but I can see kind of the long-term vision of knocking it down, building up a new tower and progressing,” Brooks said. “I get the towers are kind of old, so I can kind of understand it. But from a sentimental place, it kind of does suck.”
Brooks expressed sentiments similar to Bucker's on the rising cost of living, with concern for the ability of incoming freshmen to find affordable housing.
“I thought it was tough when I got here, and (the cost of housing) just keeps rising. I'm not even sure what incoming freshmen would do,” Brooks said. “I think keeping a level head of trying not to get too overwhelmed, … and budget what you have now. The sooner you get control of your finances that you have currently, it makes planning for the future a lot easier.”
In an email to OU Daily, Leah McKee, OU Marketing and Communications coordinator, wrote the university is committed to providing high-quality, affordable services while holding a competitive ranking within the Southeastern Conference in terms of cost and student satisfaction.
“While price adjustments are never easy, they are sometimes necessary to ensure the continued quality and sustainability of campus facilities and services,” McKee wrote. “We understand the importance of affordability and strive to balance the need for financial sustainability with our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our growing student population.”
For many students, improvements in student life could come at high prices. Brooks said some freshmen struggle to pay for housing with other responsibilities on their shoulders, even before the planned tuition raises and other financial changes.
“It definitely impacted my experience, just because it was something that was one of the top (concerns), with grades and cost of living. That was just always in the back of my mind,” Brooks said. “Overall, I still think I had a good experience, and it definitely could have been better without having to worry about that as much.”
For many students, freshman year is when most financial concerns rear their heads. Luka Abufadil, a linguistics senior, said he’s concerned the continuously rising tuition, fees and new housing costs will affect the college experience for incoming students.
“I think it'll make it definitely harder to attend OU in terms of price, but it'll definitely kind of financially segregate a lot of the student population,” Abufadil said. “I feel like it's kind of up to the university. There's nothing we can do about that. But in terms of financial segregation, that kind of sucks.”
The university does not mention sustaining the affordability of Couch and Walker centers and David L. Boren Hall in the description of the north building. The OU housing website lists the current pricing rates for McCasland Hall’s cheapest floor plan as nearly 18% higher than the cheapest of Couch and Walker centers during the fall.
“With the new plan, the university will offer enhanced on-campus living for students, prioritizing their comfort and well-being while increasing environmental sustainability. Our commitment extends to achieving LEED Silver certification for all new construction, ensuring that our campus developments align with the highest eco-conscious design and operation standards,” the OU housing website reads. “We believe in creating a living environment that not only meets the needs of our students but also contributes positively to the environment and community as a whole.”
With so many questions on the horizon, students are remaining positive about the major changes coming to OU.
“I feel like it'd still be pretty accessible because it is next to Walker and Couch,” Abufadil said. “So, in terms of whatever's in that building, (it will) still be pretty accessible, stores-wise. I know they're making like a convenience store, another coffee shop, yeah? So at least that will all be accessible to everyone.”
Despite plans to tear down Walker Center being all but completed, McKee still recognizes the value of the centers.
“Regardless of financial need, Couch and Walker holds the highest percent of the first-year class due to the number of available beds,” McKee wrote. “The new residence halls have been designed with a small community atmosphere in mind. Both will offer premium accommodations for first-year students, with features that include a convenience store, coffee shop, lounges, outdoor spaces and more.”
While people wait for news about these residence halls, Bucker sees the new McCasland Hall as the start of a new era of freshman housing for the university.
“With OU evolving, it has been a really good thing to get people to come here, especially now that we are in (the) SEC, and we have a lot more big schools to compete with,” Bucker said. “I think the way the new dorms will be built, they'll be really beautiful, and a lot of people will want to live in them.”
This story was edited by Ismael Lele, Ana Barboza and Anusha Fathepure. Andrew Paredes, Avery Avery, Mary Ann Livingood and Grace Rhodes copy edited this story.
