Beginning next fall, Lawson Hall will become a 24-hour visitation dormitory as a result of lobbying by Lawson residents and the subsequent approval of Mark Hudson, director of Housing and Dining, and the Residence Hall Association.

In addition, residence halls with limited visitation now have the option to begin visitation at 11 a.m. rather than at noon, Hudson said. But the individual hall councils will have to approve the change.

RHA approved a measure at Thursday’s meeting to make Lawson a 24-hour visitation hall and Hudson said Friday he plans to implement the new policy for next semester.

Lawson Hall residents actually began their proposal last spring, but it was too late to make changes for the 2001-2002 school year, because housing applications had already been sent out to prospective students.

Currently Lincoln Hall is the only all-female hall that has 24-hour visitation. The other halls with 24-hour visitation are Stevenson, Douglas, Thomas, Taylor and Weller.

Last year, a survey was done of on-campus students that indicated that women wanted more 24-hour visitation, Hudson said Friday. That survey also indicated the halls with limited visitation wanted earlier hours.

“I wanted to sense how the overall population felt about it,” he said, in regards to the purpose of the survey.

Since the proposal from Lawson was already on the table, that hall was chosen, Hudson said. All hall changes will go into effect in fall 2002.

With Lawson’s new visitation policy, the same rules will stay in effect for escorting, Hudson said. He also said it is important to be considerate of roommates when having visitors.

“Visitation doesn’t mean cohabitation,” he said.

Rashida Garrett, associate resident director for Lawson Hall, said residents she has talked to are happy about the new policy, but believes there may be disciplinary problems the first few years.

“I think it will be good overall,” she said.

Garrett said residents are happy with the decision because it will allow residents more freedom and independence.

Hudson said the Housing and Dinning Office works to create environments to reflect student interests and hopes the new policies being implemented will encourage students to stay on campus.

Housing contract information will go out to both new and returning students next month, Hudson said. Other policy changes being considered by the RHA include converting several more floors in the different residence halls to non-smoking.