The new floors in Aquinas Hall is on schedule to open for fall 2014.
Director of Housing and Residence Life Tara Hart said students can look forward to a number of upgrades.
"There will be approximately 175 additional bed spaces and lounge areas as well at the incorporation of ADA-compliant bathrooms, new windows and elevator service to all four floors," Hart said. "All rooms will also have new in room furnishings."
With the additions, Hart said, incoming freshman who submit their housing deposit before May 1 will be guaranteed housing for their first year.
As of now, the plan is for the fourth floor to house incoming freshmen honors students.
"Our intention at this time is to provide spaces on the new floor (for) academic cohorts for new freshmen such as the Honors Program and the Stillman Business Leadership Development Honors Program," Hart said.
Students currently living in Aquinas are being asked if they would like to be included in the lottery for a room in the dorm for the 2014-2015 academic year.
For Aquinas residents such as sophomore Rohit Ravi, who were forced to put up with the construction throughout the year, said this isn't enough.
"I think that the fourth-floor selections should have gone to the current Aquinas residents first," said Ravi, who lives on the third floor of Aquinas.
He added: "We have had to sit through the construction this year, and in the end we do not benefit that much from it."
The rooms on the fourth floor will be "substantially the same" as doubles in other dorms on campus, according to Hart.
She said Aquinas will continue to house both male and female students on the same floor. Boland Hall, however, will remain single-gender by floor.
The University appreciates the patience of Aquinas residents throughout the construction process, Hart said.
"We are grateful for the patience and good will of all the residents of Aquinas as we have moved through the project," she said.
Clayton Collier can be reached at clayton.collier@student.shu.edu.
