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Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about the housing and dining plan.

What precipitated the Housing & Dining Comprehensive Facilities Plan?

An inventory of Â鶹Æƽâ°æ’s residential facilities considered the roughly 5,000 beds on the main Williamsburg campus. Of those, more than 4,000 beds, or 80%, require renovation or replacement. On a residential campus, the quality of education W&M offers depends on providing quality residential and dining facilities that meet the needs of today’s students.

Does the plan expand Â鶹Æƽâ°æ?

In the end, W&M arrives at about the same number of beds as the university carried in 2022, in fewer facilities. Based on a demand analysis and planned enrollment growth, the current number of beds was sufficient to meet the needs of W&M’s projected student body. The plan has some flexibility – particularly in the later phases – to scale or up or down as needed. Similarly, the number of dining halls remains stable at three, but the facilities are significantly upgraded.

What is the scale of the new residential and dining facilities, and how will they respond to the surrounding historical community?

The conceptual plan considers the surrounding campus character, the areas of Williamsburg in which the university is situated and proximity to Colonial Williamsburg. This is especially important along Jamestown Road. In this area, the plan envisions a new entryway to campus that signals that families and visitors have truly arrived at Â鶹Æƽâ°æ. Even at the conceptual level of the plan, W&M worked closely with a design firm to ensure the university was pursuing options that thoughtfully respond to the community's character. The tallest residential halls are planned to be consistent with the university’s current building standards.

What new features are offered to residential students in the plan?

The comprehensive facilities plan responds to students' need and desire to socialize and study more where they live. In surveys, students have expressed that they need adequate and flexible social and study spaces (both indoor and outdoor), appropriate technology and audio-visual integration, all-gender bathrooms, and accessible design in physical and acoustic spaces. Ensuring that all rooms offer climate control is high on students’ wish lists. These upgrades are difficult and cost-prohibitive to retrofit into buildings that, on average, date to the 1960s.

What are the plans for Willis Hall?

Under the plan, a new Willis Hall will be constructed. In April 2021, Willis Hall was named in honor of Hulon Willis Sr., M.Ed. ’56, the first African-American student to enroll at Â鶹Æƽâ°æ.

How will W&M fund housing & dining renovations and new construction?

The university is planning to use a diverse mix of funding sources, including the judicious use of public-private partnerships.

What are the significant benefits of using public-private partnerships for residential and dining facilities?

A public-private partnership allows Â鶹Æƽâ°æ to move “at the speed of business,” undertaking and completing projects much more quickly than going it alone; this is key in a project of this scope and duration. It also considers affordability; using a public-private partnership reduces the impact on student-room rates. For the university, it also reduces the impact on W&M’s debt capacity and transfers some financial risk and operational costs. At the same time, the residence programs remain purely W&M in character through the partnerships; Student Affairs maintains Residence Life programming, the room pricing structure will be aligned with W&M, and building standards must be maintained consistent with other facilities.

How sustainable is the new plan?

The plan includes essential sustainability measures. First, residential buildings decrease from 70 to 55, representing inherent efficiency. The three-phased plan will use modern materials and pursue LEED certification. W&M is also investigating alternative energy sources. It’s also important to note that maintaining and constantly repairing/renovating older buildings that average 55 years old to meet current needs often requires a higher environmental cost than building with new, efficient materials and modern design.