New Residence Hall to Open in August

When students return to campus for the fall 2022 semester, they will be greeted by the first new student residence hall on Aurora University’s main campus in a decade.

The five-story building, named Don and Betty Tucker Hall, will offer 70 resident rooms and be home to the university’s new Pathways program for college-capable students on the autism spectrum. Don and Betty Tucker Hall will house both students who are in the Pathways program and students who aren’t, as part of the university’s mission to enrich campus life through diversity.

The $20 million project will function as a living and learning center. The Betty Parke Tucker Center for Neurodiversity will be located on the first floor, with offices for the Pathways program staff and educational spaces for Pathways students.

All of the living and social spaces will tout sensory-supportive elements that include neutral flooring, colors tuned to activity levels, patterns that limit visual stimuli, adjustable lighting, and quiet study spaces. The interiors are intentionally designed with the goal of alleviating anxiety so that students can focus their energy and emotions on a positive college experience. There will also be study rooms on every floor and a fitness center.

Don and Betty Tucker Hall is scheduled to open in August. AU is welcoming the inaugural class of first-year and transfer students on the autism spectrum into the Pathways program for the 2022–2023 academic year.

The last residence hall to be built on campus was Centennial Hall in 2011. With the addition of Don and Betty Tucker Hall, AU will have capacity to house more than 750 students on the main campus.