OSU-Cascades set to open residence hall, dining center

Oregon’s newest public university campus, Oregon State University-Cascades, will open its first student residence hall and dining facilities ready for the start of winter term next Monday and ready for its transition to a residential campus that ultimately is expected to serve the needs of 3,000 to 5,000 students.

“The new residence and dining facilities will provide a supportive, healthy and safe environment for students, and contribute to student retention and success,” said Becky Johnson, vice president of OSU’s Bend campus. “These amenities will also enhance OSU-Cascades’ ability to attract students and meet our commitment towards Oregon’s higher education goals.”

The residence hall will accommodate 300 undergraduate and graduate students at full capacity, in single-, double-, and triple-rooms, as well as in apartment-style suites. Amenities in the three-wing building include quiet study rooms, lounges and kitchens, a fitness center, and indoor bike and gear storage.

Housing staff, including a live-in professional resident director and student resident assistants, will guide resident educational and social programming and serve as a resource for residential students. The inaugural residents, about 60 undergraduate students, will move into the residence hall on Saturday.

Security features of the residence hall include electronic key card access and live-in staff who will provide 24-hour and seven-day coverage while students are in-residence. In addition, beginning winter term, the OSU-Cascades public safety office will be located in the new dining and academic building.

The dining venue on the main floor of the dining and academic building will soon be named the Beaver Dam and will feature a variety of food concepts, from traditional fare to vegan to globally inspired cuisine.

The main dining area seats up to 250 guests, with additional outdoor seating. It also features a coffee bar, where booths are each fitted with an LCD screen, to support project collaboration. A soaring center fireplace will encourage formal and informal gathering by all members of the campus community.

The dining program will focus on healthy, and whenever possible, locally or Oregon sourced ingredients. To date, local providers include Eberhard Dairy, Sparrow Bakery, Humm Kombucha, and Lone Pine and Strictly Organic. The program will engage residential and non-residential students in a range of dining experiences, from special tastings to surprise menus to dining etiquette events. A variety of meal plans are available for residential and non-residential students, as well as for faculty and staff.

The main floor of the dining building also features an administrative suite for support services, including offices for transportation, public safety, human resources and business functions. The second floor includes administrative offices and a conference room, and four classrooms, including a quiet meditation room and makers’ spaces.

OSU-Cascades residence hall and dining center are operated in partnership with OSU’s University Housing & Dining Services department, which oversees housing, residential education and dining programs for more than 4,700 students at the Corvallis campus.

“We are excited about the opportunity to support OSU’s new campus and OSU-Cascades’ commitment to developing a vibrant residential education program at the Bend campus,” said Dan Larson, associate vice provost for student affairs and executive director for UHDS. “Student success, health and well-being are core to our service and program model and our staff is ready to contribute to an engaging and high quality experience that is unique to OSU-Cascades.”

The new facilities also open opportunities for the OSU Bend campus to host groups for conferences and meetings, particularly during the summer months when classes are not in full session. OSU-Cascades officials are currently developing a conference services program and envision the facilities being used for pre-college youth programs, and academic and other conferences.

Campus leaders are currently in the process of determining a name for each of the new buildings.

Beginning January 17, local community members may also enjoy dining experiences at OSU-Cascades.

About OSU-Cascades: Oregon State University’s campus in Bend, Ore. features outstanding faculty in degree programs that reflect Central Oregon’s vibrant economy and abundant natural resources. Nearly 20 undergraduate majors, 30 minors and options, and four graduate programs include computer science, energy systems engineering, kinesiology, hospitality management, and tourism and outdoor leadership. OSU-Cascades expanded to a four-year university in fall 2015; its new campus opened in fall 2016.