Same campus, different living conditions

BY KELLI MCKEE

Contributing Writer

Tarleton State University is continuing to grow its on-campus housing with the construction of Regents Hall, a new five-story residence hall that will house nearly 1,000 students. University officials approved the $120 million project, which will be located on Lillian Street.

As Tarleton prepares to welcome more students into this new space, current residence halls like Hunewell and Integrity offer a look at how on-campus living has evolved over time — from older, community-centered layouts to more modern, amenity-focused designs.

Hunewell/Hunewell Annex is one of the oldest residence halls on campus. It was built in 1961 and renovated in 2017. It is now used as a residence hall for only first-year college students.

Hunewell offers a four-person suite-style layout with two built-in desks, built-in drawers, a mini fridge, a microwave, a bathroom with two sinks, two closet spaces and two twin XL beds in each room.

The cost of this living space is relatively cheap compared to other residence halls on campus. Starting fall of 2026, it will be $2,183 per semester, compared to other residence halls across campus that sit anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 per semester.

Hunewell Hall is said to have a “great sense of community” but not much space for each student. It has a reputation of having the least liked rooms on campus, but some people beg to differ.

Isabella Ruiz, a freshman at Tarleton, currently lives in Hunewell Hall. She explained her view on comfort, community and space throughout the hall.

“Honestly, I think the dorms are pretty comfy. It definitely is a little on the smaller side, but I make the best of it,” Ruiz said. “But the sense of community we have makes up for it, everyone is familiar with everyone, and if anyone needs anything we can always just knock.”

Hunewell also includes multiple laundry rooms, a lobby with a kitchen and vending machines in the hallways. This allows for easy access to snacks, residential assistance and laundry at all hours of the day.

Tarleton has many different residence hall buildings that have all been built at different times. Integrity Hall, one of the newer residence halls on campus, finished construction in 2015.

Integrity is a residence hall that houses first year and continuing students. Integrity layouts include four separate rooms with a full-sized bed, dresser, desk, nightstand and closet, along with two bathrooms, four sinks and a common area. The common area includes a microwave, refrigerator and couch.

They also provide an option with two bedrooms and one bathroom, but they each have the same amenities in each room.

Living in Integrity cost $3,780 per semester for the two-bedroom suite and $3,570 per semester for a four-bedroom suite starting next semester.

Integrity also comes with laundry rooms, a lobby with pool table and gaming systems, outdoor areas, in-hall mailboxes and community kitchens with stainless steel items.

Buck Powell, a Tarleton freshman who currently lives in Integrity Hall, shares his thoughts on living in this residence hall.

“A typical day in this dorm is pretty chill and overall manageable,” Powell said. “Everything is reliable. Even though it can feel a little small at times, it feels like home. I can also study easily as well as hangout with friends.”

Hunewell only has stairs to get to the next floor, while Integrity has both stairs and an elevator.

Although they were built at different times, both residence halls have some things in common. They both have community kitchens, microwaves, refrigerators, private bathrooms for students and safe places for students to sleep, hang out and feel at home.

Even though some residence halls may be older than others, that doesn’t mean they can’t be right for a student.

Regents Hall is expected to be completed in February 2027 and is part of the university’s broader campus master plan to support continued growth and expand on-campus housing options.

All in all, Tarleton is evolving each day. With every residence hall building built, it calls for new students and more advanced amenities. Tarleton offers many different living situations for every student on campus to ensure a sense of safety and comfort inside a student’s home.