Jenny Knickerbocker
News Reporter

Over the past few years, Mesa State has been going through many changes. From new residence halls to the new college center, some students and faculty may not even recognize Mesa State’s new look.
One of the changes this year is that the residence halls, Rait and Pinon are now coed. Up until this year, Mary Rait was known as an all-female hall and Pinon was previously an all-male hall.
The change seems to have a positive effect on students.
Junior Alexandra Odame said, “It is better this year. We have better relationships with guys then we did when it was only girls.”
Paige Cox is a freshman living in Rait Hall and likes the idea of living with boys. “They’re smelly, but there would be more drama if it was all girls,” she said.
Perhaps the most important aspect about the change is giving guys and girls the experience to interact with each other along with making friendships.
Junior Morgan Faessler lived in Rait as a freshman, when it was dominated by girls. “The rules of an all-girl dorm were like living at your parents’ house. You didn’t have the freedom needed for being away from home,” she said.
The next year, Faessler moved into Monument hall and got to experience what it was like having guys live next door.
“I think that making Pinon and Rait coed is a great idea and a great experience for incoming freshmen,” she said.
According to President Tim Foster, administration made the residence halls coed because of feedback from students in previous semesters.
Freshman Daniel Estes agreed with the decision to make the halls coed.
“It wouldn’t be as fun without girls,” he said. “It makes things more interesting.”
Estes went on to talk about the pros and cons about living with girls.
“Girls tend to be louder in the halls but they are much cleaner,” he added.
Since the college center is still incomplete, it is the student body’s hope that these coed residence halls will give freshmen the opportunity to meet new people and live outside of their comfort zone.

jknicker@mesastate.edu