Department of Residential Life records

Originally under the jurisdiction of the Dean of Students, the Department of Residential Life came into being in 1962, as the Office of Student Housing.  In 1987 it became known as the Department of Residential Life.  The office was headed by both a dean of men and a dean of women until 1970, when it was replaced by a director of student housing, reflecting student pressure for co-ed dorms.  Until 1993 the department operated as three separate offices, the Office of the Director (Administrative and Technical Services), Student Life, and Facilities and Operations.  In 1993, in an effort to simplify operations for both themselves and students, all three offices were moved together to 4 Speare Place.

Residential Life's mission has been to create a positive environment, both academically and outside the classroom.  Resident assistants and graduate assistants live in the dorms, helping to achieve this goal.  Residential Life provides theme housing, such as the Honors Hall, Wellness Hall, Quiet Hall, and the International Hall to provide students with a more comfortable environment.  These theme halls are located in the 21 residences that the University owns.  The Faculty Associate Program, begun in 1991, is another method by which Residential Life improves the quality of campus living.  The program brings volunteer faculty into the dorms, encouraging the students and faculty to interact on a more personal basis.

Northeastern opened its first dormitory at 428 Marlborough St. on September 22, 1950.  This dorm housed the University's female students.  By 1959 the University had opened three more residence halls, two male dorms on Marlborough St. and one women's dorm on St. Stephen St.  Residential policies stipulated that women not commuting from home had to live in one of the dorms, although men were given the option of finding approved housing in the neighborhood.

In 1959 Northeastern, primarily a commuter school, decided that it needed to become more residential.  Creating a University community became a goal, and developing more student housing was an important element of the goal.  By 1967 Northeastern had opened nine new residence halls and was housing over 2,000 students; by 1975 that number had grown to almost 3,000.  Today (2001) the university houses over 4,100 people.

Northeastern continues to build new residence halls, as the demand for student housing grows.  West Campus Village, opened in the fall of 1999, has become the centerpiece of Residential Life's housing options.  Davenport Commons is scheduled to open in the fall of 2001. This 600 bed residence hall is a unique initiative by Northeastern, combining both student housing and low-income housing for neighborhood families.

September 22, 1950

First residence hall, an all women's dorm located at 428 Marlborough St., opens.

1959

200 students housed on campus.

July 1959

Boston Storage Warehouse purchased.

1961

Roosevelt apartment building purchased and named West Dorm, later White Hall.

1962

The Office of Student Housing comes into being.

April 8, 1963

Ground breaking begins for Speare Hall on site of the Boston Storage Warehouse.

September 17, 1965

Spere Hall is dedicated and named in honor of NU's first president Frank Palmer Speare.

Mid 1960s

Approximately 2,000 students housed on campus.

November 9, 1966

Five residence halls are dedicated as the Charles and Annie S. Stetson Hall West, in honor of former member of the NU Corporation and Board of Trustees, Charles and his mother (hall for women); the Galen David Light Hall, in honor of NU's first secretary and treasurer (hall for women); the Harold Wesley Melvin Hall, in honor of the first dean of students (hall for women); the William Lincoln Smith Hall, in honor of NU's first professor (hall for men); and the William Crombie White Hall, in honor of the former Executive Vice President (hall for men).

1967

Stetson East, an extension of Stetson Hall West is opened.

Late 1960s

Strict residential policies, such as curfews, dress codes and allowing for co-ed dorms, are relaxed.

1970

Director of student housing is appointed, combining the positions of the Dean of Men and the Dean of Women.

1972

Students House at 96 The Fenway is purchased.

1975

Approximately 3,000 students are housed on campus.

115 and 119 Hemenway are purchased for use as dorms.

October 29, 1975

Students House dedicates as the Harry Hamilton Kerr Hall, in honor of the former member of the NU Corporation and Board of Trustees.

1978

Upper class dorm, dedicated West Hall, is build on Leon St.

1987

Office of Student Housing becomes the Department of Residential Life.

May 31, 1987

Burstein Hall is dedicated in honor of brothers Hyman and Barnet Burstein who were both NU alumni and whose family donated the money for the hall.

May 6, 1930

115-119 Hemenway St. is dedicated as the Christopher Kennedy Hall in honor of the former Student Affairs Administrator and Vice President for Administration.

May 20, 1990

West Hall dedicated as Robert and Betty Wills Hall, in honor of the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

1991

Faculty Associate Program is started.

1992

Residential Life institutes theme housing in many of the dormitories.

1993

The Department of Residential Life mores into 4 Speare Hall.

October 17, 1993

The Kenneth Loftman Hall is dedicated in honor of the former trustee.

Fall 1999

West Village A, an upper class residence hall, opens.

2000

Approximately 4,100 students are housed in campus residence halls and 600 other students live in nearby leased properties.

Fall 2000

West Village B and C open.

September 2001

Davenport Commons opens.

September 2002

West Village E opens.

September 2004

West Village G and H open.

February 2006

Reorganization within Campus Life moves the Department of Residential Life under the newly created Center for University Life.

September 2006

West Village F opens as a Freshman Honors dorm.