OSU-Lima asks to hire architect for dorm

8/9/2001

LIMA, Ohio - The Lima campus of Ohio State University is one step closer to building dormitories.

The campus board of trustees yesterday approved sending a proposal to the Columbus university's board of trustees to hire an architect to look into building residence halls for students on the 41-year-old commuter campus.

Violet Meek, dean and director of OSU Lima, said its trustees there studied the issue before approving the proposal.

"What they have done is affirm the process. Now it will be sent to the university's board of trustees. They meet in August or September. That's a necessary first step. Funding comes from bonds. The board has to approve it before we do,'' she said.

For little more than a year, the Lima trustees have been discussing building residence halls on or near campus.

The university, which offers two-year and four-year degrees, has about 1,400 students from a 10-county area including Allen, Hancock, Hardin, Paulding, Putnam, and Van Wert. Residence halls could allow the Lima campus to draw students beyond its normal radius, Dr. Meek said.

The proposed residence hall would have at least 150 beds and no more than 240 beds. The size depends on funding from Ohio State. Tuition dollars will not be used to build the proposed halls, she said.

Part of yesterday's discussion included dining provisions at the hall and security, Dr. Meek said. Now most social programming goes on during the school day, mainly because students commute from 30 or more miles away and do not want to drive back to campus in the evening.

The dean has said in a previous interview that she wants the proposed residence hall to provide a learning experience for students: a place where they would be able to study, where they would be safe, where programming such as workshops on study skills could be presented, and where leadership opportunities were possible, such as a serving on hall council.