The Texas Tech University System Board of Regents has authorized the university to begin designing a $38 million residence hall on the Lubbock campus.
The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reports that the 300-bed West Village II Residence Hall will be erected next to West Village I Residence Hall.
Tech President Lawrence Schovanec said the university has seen an increase in upperclassmen interested in living on campus. As of right now, the campus has enough beds for first-year students on campus, and Schovanec said the university will most likely cap that at 7,000 students.
Noel Sloan, the university's chief financial officer, said building this residence hall will enable the administration to close older student housing sections and carry out renovations without greatly affecting the number of beds available for students.
The board unanimously approved the initial expenditure of $640,397 to start a design contract.
University officials say it is too early to say when construction would begin on the project.
