room service to res life check out how campuses are converting hotels into residence halls. by emily rudduck T hink of a typical residence hall room from the 1960s: cinderblock walls lining a small space inside of which are two single beds, two built-in desks, and two dressers, all fashioned out of functional yellow pine. and there is either a shared bathroom or access to a communal one down the hall. now shift to a room in a contemporary residence hall: a spacious area with upholstered chairs, modular furniture in a variety of colors and finishes, textured wall coverings - and a private bathroom. students and parents often react to this setting in a similar way: "Wow! it's just like a hotel!" for many higher education institutions, this is literally the case. in response to their need to find more residential space on campus but unwilling or unable to start from scratch with a new building, they have been inspired to seek more creative - and often less expensive and more immediate - solutions by converting hotels into residence halls. May + june 2014 59