New scholarship hall ‘mirror image’ of Rieger

Rieger Hall’s twin has arrived.

Krehbiel Hall, an 18,000-square-foot, three-story building, was set to open for students in August just north of Rieger Hall on Ohio Street.

“It is a mirror image of Rieger Hall,” said Diana Robertson, Kansas University’s director of student housing.

The building, which will house 50 male students, is KU’s 12th scholarship hall. It rounds out the mix with six halls for men and six for women. Robertson said there are no plans for additional scholarship halls in the near future.

She said KU stands out for its scholarship halls, which offer smaller environments than dorms. Students assist with cooking and cleaning, which cuts their costs.

Students living in Krehbiel Hall will pay $4,800 per year, including meals. That’s about $1,800 less than other on-campus residence halls.

Krehbiel will be full when it opens, and there is a waiting list for KU’s scholarship halls.

“Students look for ways to make a larger campus seem smaller, and these unique, little 50-person buildings certainly do that,” Robertson said. “Many students are drawn to the idea of the cooperative house.”

But it isn’t open for everyone. Students must qualify to live in the scholarship halls. KU reviews grades, ACT test scores and other data to determine eligibility.

Existing students were selected to help establish the ways the scholarship hall will run when it opens. They began work during the spring.

“They’ll provide the leadership to the incoming students in the fall,” Robertson said.

KU sophomore Mat Shepard is among the students who’ve helped start the new hall. They wrote a constitution and outlined the duties of student officers who will watch over Krehbiel.

Shepard said students are considering a jazz and swing music night to be the hall’s signature social event.

“I think it’s going to be really cool to start traditions,” he said.

The facility was built with a $4 million gift from former state Rep. Carl Krehbiel of Moundridge, a 1970 graduate of KU. The building honors Krehbiel’s parents, Kathryn and Floyd H. Krehbiel, who graduated from KU in the 1940s.