Oct. 9, 2019
Saturday ribbon-cutting one of CWU Homecoming highlights
Homecoming activities are taking place all week at Central Washington University, but there’s an added buzz on campus about Dugmore Hall and the Northside Commons dining facility next door.
The 105,000-square-foot residence hall and 6,000-square-foot dining hall will be officially unveiled to the public on Saturday, October 12, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m., followed by tours at 10:30.
Dugmore Hall sits on nine acres adjacent to Northside Commons, which is home to a Panda Express restaurant and the 1891 Café and Market. CWU has earmarked 320 of the living spaces for first-year students, while 80 rooms on the fourth floor are designated for sophomores, juniors and seniors.
Students moved into the 402-bed Dugmore Hall, on the northeast corner of Dean Nicholson Boulevard and Wildcat Way, the weekend before fall classes started on September 23. The reviews have been overwhelmingly positive of several fronts, including Dugmore’s vibrant color scheme. The yellow theme on the second floor is one of the highlights, some students say.
Students said they have enjoyed the double rooms with suite-style restrooms, which include private shower stalls in each. Dugmore Hall also features double rooms with their own restrooms and a limited number of single living quarters.
Other features noted by new Dugmore residents include touch-screen climate controls in each room, and energy-efficient lighting and windows. The hall’s convenient campus location is an added plus.
Recognizing a growing need for more housing on the north side of campus, the CWU Board of Trustees approved the $40 million project in 2017. It was funded through bond-sale proceeds and did not require state funds or tuition dollars to complete.
The residence hall was named in honor of William “Owen” Dugmore, who taught in CWU’s Department of Psychology from 1969 to 2014. He also provided personal counseling services to students at the Student Medical and Counseling Clinic. Dugmore passed away in 2018, leaving his entire estate of more than $1 million to the university.
Media contact: David Leder, Department of Public Affairs, 509-963-1518, David.Leder@cwu.edu