Mississippi State University’s Vice President for Student Affairs Bill Kibler will live on campus next semester. Kibler and his family will be living not in a residence hall or apartment but in a renovated house located on the southeast side of campus.
However, it will not be just a residence for the Kibler family; it will be a student life center as well.
Kibler said he came up with the idea to build a closer relationship between students and the university.
“My goal primarily is to use this as a facility to interact and connect with students on a different level than what [the university] can do now,” Kibler said.
Kibler proposed the idea to MSU President Charles Lee and the department of housing and residence life, both of which he said embraced the idea.
“Everyone who has seen it has endorsed it and bought into the concept as a whole,” Kibler said.
The student life house concept is utilized by universities throughout the nation, including Texas A&M-the university that Kibler transferred here from last year.
“I’m aware of some campuses who have a house set up like this,” Kibler said. “The campus I came from had one,” he said.
Kibler explained what the student life house will be and what role the Kibler family will play in its operations.
“It’ll be a place on campus that we will be able to host events like meetings, receptions and large barbecues for student organizations; events that should be held in a home,” he said. “It’s a different kind of setting besides The Union or somewhere else,” Kibler said, “It’s an open area where students will feel welcome.”
Students will be able to use facilities within the house even though the Kiblers will be living there. Private space and public space will be divided within the residence. Some of the public areas will include a deck in the back yard and a garage that will be converted into a recreation room. Formal events will be in the main part of the house.
“It’s an opportunity for the university to show its appreciation for students,” he said. “This whole project is student focused.”
Kibler and the department of housing and residence life began scouting out houses on campus to find a suitable one for the family a few months ago. Recently, they chose to renovate the unofficially named “Gray House,” named after its builder and former director of housing Malcolm Gray. The house is located on the corner of Blackjack and Morrill roads.
Fred Mock, associate director for facilities and maintenance for MSU, is overseeing the renovation of the home. Mock and his crew will be responsible for getting the house ready by the July deadline.
“We’ll have to rewire the entire house, put down new carpet and put on new paint,” Mock said. “That’s more for where the Kiblers’ live, though,” he said.
“Where we’ll be putting the most effort in will be the living room, the kitchen, the deck-places that will be used for functions,” Mock said.
Mock said that work on the house is already underway.
“We’ve started a little work already, but we’re going to really be rolling in two weeks,” he said.
Though the house is in need of renovation, Kibler said that he and his family are content and excited about moving onto campus.
“We’re just as pleased as we can be,” Kibler said. “Of course, I discussed it frequently with my wife before presenting the idea to President Lee, but she’s excited about it, too,” he said.
Lee is also pleased with the idea.
“With a place like that, it will give [the university] an opportunity to grow its relationship with students,” said Lee. “I think it will be [a success] simply because it’s never been done at this campus before,” he added.
Lee also commended Kibler on the responsibility he is undertaking.
“I think it’s an incredible testimony of his dedication to the students and the university,” he said. “He is going to make great use out of it.”