On May 12, Ohio University’s Housing and Residence Life posted pictures of a single and double suite in the new Roderick J. McDavis Residence Hall to Instagram and Facebook with a caption alluding to the dormitory construction being 80% finished.
Construction on the dormitory, otherwise known as McDavis Hall, is expected to be completed in August, according to past reporting by The Post.
The photos sparked questions and comments online from both students and parents. According to OU Housing and Residence Life, the south wing of the building will occupy returning students, while the north wing will occupy first-year students.
Some people responded positively to the photos, sharing their or their children's negative experiences living in different OU dorm rooms.
“This was soooo needed! Just wish my daughter had better living experiences on campus,” a parent commented on the Facebook post.
The building is named after OU’s 20th president, Roderick J. McDavis. McDavis was the first African American president of OU, and also the second OU alumnus to hold the title, according to OHIO Today.
The OU Board of Trustees approved the plan for the new residence hall in April 2024 as part of the University’s Housing Master Plan.
The master plan focuses on meeting students' expectations, adapting housing capacity, keeping close proximity between residence halls and the main campus, investing with student affordability in mind and ensuring well-being through recreational facilities.
Jneanne Hacker, executive director of OU Housing and Residence Life, said McDavis is a large influence on improving residential life on campus.
“As we look at enhancing our residential portfolio to create the best student experience, he is a cornerstone and catalyst that has helped make that happen,” Hacker said in a video.
On Sept. 26, 2025, Ohio University held a celebration in honor of McDavis, consisting of a tour of the residence hall construction site and a lecture given by McDavis.
In his lecture, McDavis discussed OU’s focus and vision, which have remained the same since its founding.
"When Manasseh Cutler and Rufus Putnam had a vision, there was a singular focus, and that focus lives on today," McDavis said. "It is, in essence, to create a space that provides access and opportunity for those students who will come today and tomorrow."
Ariana Trejo, an upcoming sophomore at OU studying English literature, culture and writing, chose to live in a double room in McDavis for the 2026-2027 school year.
Her choice to live in McDavis stemmed from wanting to live in a newer dorm after living in Sargent Hall during the 2025-26 school year, which was built in 1963. In Sargent, Trejo lived in a double room, which she described as “close living”.
Sargent Hall’s floor plan measures Trejo’s old room at about 11 feet by 15 feet, while a McDavis second-floor double measures 13 feet by 14 feet.
Trejo became concerned about the size of the room following the pictures OU Housing and Residence Life posted to Instagram.
“We went on this website where you can put in the dimensions of your room and the dimensions of your furniture to see how much room you have afterward,” Trejo said. “And it looked really big when we were doing that, but when they posted a picture of one of the finished rooms on Instagram, I was like, ‘Oh, that doesn't look quite as big as I thought it was.’”
According to OU, the residence hall provides communal kitchens, a laundry room and elevator access. It will be the largest residence hall on the entire campus, containing 591 beds.
Live reporting of the construction can be viewed on OU’s website.
