EIU Housing

HISTORY OF LAWSON HALL

Lawson Hall was the second high-rise building on campus and was built as a mirror image of Andrews Hall. The hall officially opened in 1967 as an additional all-female housing option with 480 beds. Lawson was the fourth and final building in the bond revenue series and completed the residential building in the South Quad.

In 1988 Director of Housing Lou Hencken implemented a procedure to enhance security measures in Lawson Hall as well as Andrews and Carman. On August 25, 1988, the Daily Eastern News announced that residents were now required to have a key to use the elevators. This prevented unescorted persons from having access
to the floors. The procedure is still used today.

The ladies of Lawson reveled in creative programming with events such as Mother’s Weekend and a program for brides-to-be. They were also very involved in pertinent campus issues which directly affected their lives. In the fall of 1990, the parking lot across from Lawson and Taylor Halls was changed to only allow faculty and staff parking. The residents collectively pushed for part of the lot to be student parking. After a semester of raising their voices, the Daily Eastern News announced on January 24, 1991, that majority of the lot would be reverted to student spaces.

In 2002, Lawson became the temporary home for the Fine Arts Departments while the three-year construction project of the Doudna Fine Arts Center was underway. The departments occupied the second and third-floor residential spaces. Today, the second-floor space has been renovated and dedicated to Conference Services, and provides a place for housing guests to stay.