By Christian Herrera

WEB BLURB: The first floor in Miller Hall – an all-men’s dormitory building – will become a women’s floor this fall 2014 so the female students have more rooming options.

Last year, eight women were on the waiting list to get into Meadows Hall, Miller/Meadows resident director Hannah Chupp said. At the beginning of the fall 2013 semester, there were 15 empty beds in Miller.

“For the past two years, we have had a lot of empty space in Miller,” Chupp said. “Currently, there is almost an entire floor open right now in Miller.”

Because of the high demand for Meadows Hall, Miller 1st will become a women’s floor in order to satisfy the needs of a greater amount of students, similar to Baker 1st when Baker Hall was an all-male dorm.

This conversion was originally an idea presented to Jesse Brown and other RDs by Chupp and her resident assistant staff.  Eventually, they talked about what the ramifications would be if Miller 1st underwent this change and concluded that based on past trends, more girls have wanted to live in Meadows than men have wanted to live in Miller.

Alongside the evolution of Miller 1st, a new RD will be taking over for Chupp, who will be leaving upon graduation this May.

Chupp was hired as an RD in 2012 when she started graduate school to complete her master’s degree in counseling. The position was taken on as a graduate assistantship.

From the beginning, Chupp’s position was contingent on her time here as a graduate student.

“I planned on having this job until I graduated,” she said. “I graduate this May.”

She has applied to several jobs in the field of counseling and has had a few interviews.

“I don’t have anything lined up at the moment,” Chupp said, “but I hope to before graduation.”

The opening position is currently in review. Although there is not a set date, an official announcement and application for the Miller/Meadows RD position will be released “soon,” most likely before summertime arrives, Chupp said.