In the midst of statewide budget cuts, WSC departments are making their own fiscal cuts and changes as well. The Wayne State Residence Life Department will be revamping the programming and model in the coming year, including making some cuts to their own budget.

The Residence Life Department is not funded by state allocations, but rather by the room and board fees, meal plan and other various fees that students pay.

Department Director Quinneka Lee ensures that state reductions do not directly impact the department.

“As a department we constantly need to assess our priorities and our resources,” Lee said. “The first semester provided an opportunity for our office to review how our resources were being spent.”

Lee said making departmental cuts would have happened regardless of the Nebraska state budget.

As for the effects the state-wide cuts will have on the current renovation of Bowen Hall, Lee said that everything is unaffected and on-schedule.

“Funding for the Bowen renovation was previously approved and will not be impacted,” Lee said. “Bowen is on schedule to reopen for the fall semester.”

In addition to the Bowen renovations, Lee shared some of the future updates that students can look forward to in the residence halls. There are plans for improvements in most of the halls, including new beds in Terrace Hall and electrical updates in Morey, Berry and Anderson. The department also has plans for the communal spaces in the halls.

Residence Life is also revamping the residential experience through new living and learning communities (similar to WALK), including communities for upperclassmen.
For students who are returning to campus next semester, the housing application is currently open so they can select their room and meal plan for the next academic year. The application is available on eCampus.