The UNA Board of Trustees reviewed the proposal for the freshman live-on requirement, which will now be implemented when a new residence hall opens on campus, at their Dec. 16 meeting.

The new residence hall is projected to open in the fall 2015.

Vice President of Student Affairs David Shields presented the draft of the Freshman Residency Requirement policy, which requires “all first-time, full-time freshmen and ESL students to live on campus for up to one year.”

The policy offered exemptions, including if the first-year student lives with his or her guardian, has a spouse or children, is at least 20 years on the first day of classes, is a veteran or has a medical necessity that requires special housing or accommodations.

Campus officials initially announced the residency requirement in September 2012 and set the implementation date for fall 2014. In light of plans to build new residence halls, the requirement’s start date has been moved.

“The freshman residency requirement would be implemented consistent with the opening of our new (residence hall),” Shields said. “So, if our new building opens in fall 2016, then it will be fall 2016. We’re not going to do it beforehand.”

The residence hall is projected to house over 700 beds, Shields said.

“We are on track to do that (open the new residence hall in fall 2015),” Shields said. “One of the things that is important to us is that we do it right so if it does take us a little longer to do it and we have to open the building in the spring or in the fall (of the following year) or if we have to wait a year, we’re going to do that. I think the important thing is to do it right, not just to do it.”

Board members also approved two name-change resolutions during their meeting.

A resolution to change the name of the College of Nursing and Allied Health to the College of Nursing, effective at the start of the spring 2014 semester, was approved unanimously by trustees.

The new student commons building has officially been named “The Commons,” and Director of Facilities Administration and Planning Michael Gautney said plans are on-track for the spring opening.

“We are on schedule for the building to be completed at the end of this month,” Gautney said. “The departments all want to be able to deal with the upcoming semester and get students in place and get them acclimated to everything they need. We’re looking at the third or the last week of January to begin that move-in for each of the departments that are coming in.”

The planned opening date for The Commons is Feb. 1.