Montour Hall will no longer be available for students to dorm in for the Fall 2024 semester. With this news, it is important to understand both the reasoning and ramifications behind this decision.

Why Montour?

When discussing the potential of all dorm buildings, it was decided that Montour’s structure needs some work, so it would make the most sense to be the one to be shut down. According to Amy Cunningham, Associate Vice President for Student Success and Campus Life, “We need to be fiscally prudent in our decision-making in regards to realistic decisions about facilities that are nearing the end of their usability.”

The possible decision for Montour to be shut down permanently relies on a Senate Process. This entails a facilities sub-committee with representatives from the facilities staff, faculty, and student representatives from each campus. They discuss building usage, mainly which should be invested into and which are past their use of life.

After the Fall 2024 semester, it will be decided if Montour will be needed as a dorm hall in the future. Associate Vice President of Facilities Management, Stacy Wagner said, “What does that space make sense to be in the future?”

Student Impact 

Although there are currently around 100 residents in Montour, it is not necessarily needed because of the number of beds in other dorms that are currently not being used. For years, several buildings in better condition, like Columbia, Elwell, and Skuykill have been kept partially full, so those additional floors will be used.

Although there is still not a finalized number for the incoming first-year class who are placed in traditional dorms like Montour, there are approximately 1800 beds kept for the 1600 first-year students. To keep this residence hall active for incoming first-year students while there are better alternatives is not only fiscally careless, but also highly inefficient.

In essence, there will not be any students without a place to live next semester as a result of this closing and it’s been a long time coming. Although no decisions on Montour’s future have been made that will be permanent yet, there was significant thought put into this decision with input from facilities management, faculty, and students.