The newest dorm, Joseph Z. and Louise H. Ornelas Residential Complex, receives the highest demand for living.
The campus has nine dorm halls, Bateman, Claridge, Hudnall, Sledge, Holley, Lewis, Vaughn, West and Ornelas.
“When I first saw the dorms on campus during orientation, I was mostly impressed with the newest one, Ornelas, and I could not wait to move in,” sophomore KeAira Wilkins said.
“The entire building [Ornelas], from the layout to the paint jobs, is extremely nice,” said Residential Adviser Chelsea Smith. “I enjoy the atmosphere and the tenants are very respectable.”
Each residential hall has 24-hour supervision and daily activities. All the dorms have twin-sized beds, computer desks, closets and dressers, but Ornelas provides more space. The room and bathroom layout is new and designed for each roommate to have his or her own space.
“When getting my room, and meeting my roommate, we were both very impressed with how much space we were given, and how much privacy we were given,” Wilkins said.
With this residential complex being the only co-ed hall on campus, security and restrictions are likely to be stricter on visitation and check-ins, but the same rules apply as they do in any other dorm. Visitation is from 8: 00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. as long as the guest is a TJC student with a valid school ID.
“A lot of people complain about the rules not being fair, because this is the newest dorm and the rules seem more stricter over here, but the same rules that apply in Ornelas also apply in all the other dorms,” Smith said. “From visitation, check-in, to room checks, Ornelas doesn’t get a break just because it’s a new building.”
Ornelas Hall A provides a small lobby, game room, computer station and deli.
“Ornelas is my favorite dorm hall, because it’s the closest thing in looks and space to my apartment first semester,” said freshman LaDarren Crenshaw. Although I don’t have all the space to myself, I have enough and my roommate still has room to move around on his side”. The game room and deli really come in handy as well.”
According to the residential housing department, there are still a few rooms available in the complex hall.
