It’s a dorm room, but instead of the normal bunk beds, desks, beanbags, movie posters and TV, it has a desk, table, chairs and bookshelf. Walking on the ground level, people feel as if they are walking in an office building. Walking on the second level, people hear music pour into the hall and students talk, study and hang out in their rooms.

Tucker Residence Hall is the home of the First Year College faculty and staff offices and students’ dorm rooms. Next year, a shift is occurring and only students will call Tucker home, with the First Year College offices moving into their brand new building — currently under construction.

Carrie McLean, director of First Year College, said the building’s computer lab will move from the Laundry Labs to the new building, Firsty Year College Commons. This, according to McLean will allow the FYC faculty to plan better because the space will be more conducive for working.

The building is called a commons because it will give a sense of a community between the new building, Tucker and Owen for the First Year College students, according to Susan Grant, director of University Housing.

Even though the building will be across the street from Tucker and Owen, McLean said students will probably still come to the FYC offices just to say hello or talk.

“It will be just like students from Owen coming over here,” she said.

The students talk to the FYC faculty not only about school but also about personal issues.

“They come when they break up with their boyfriend or girlfriend — when their mom is driving them crazy,” McLean said.

FYC is unique because the advisers are teachers as well, according to McLean. She said the students’ advisers teach the classes and are trained to advise in every college at the University.

FYC has classes Monday through Thursday every week and takes Friday to have workshops and train advisers about the changes in curriculum in each major.

Next year, these classes will take place in First Year College Commons, rather than in Tucker. The building is going to house FYC, Study Abroad, Transition Program, Service Learning and an expansion of Advising Central, according to Grant.

Because the FYC offices and classrooms are being moved to the First Year College Commons, Tucker can be returned to a complete residence hall.

McLean said renovation on some of the rooms and bathrooms has begun to return the ground level to dorm rooms with community bathrooms.

Because those rooms will be opened for housing students, McLean said all students will be able to live in the village — Tucker or Owen — next year.

“When it opens, the ground floor of the First Year College Commons will be accessible 24/7,” Grant said.

The Tucker, Owen, Turlington and Alexander 24-hour desk, change machine and computer lab are moving to the ground level of the new building.

The location of the building is convenient for the First Year College Village, according to Warren Follum, project manager of the building.

“It’s in a nice central location,” Follum said.

McLean said she is happy to see the administration support the program. She said when the FYC program first started, it didn’t receive much support. Now, the support is evident because the University is constructing a building mostly for the FYC program.

“When we have solid foundations, we feel better about jumping out there,” McLean said. “It makes me feel like I’m being productive.”

The construction is quite productive and is ahead of schedule, according to McLean.

“I can see why,” she said. “They work on Saturday and Sunday.”

A Webcam is set up off Tucker and the construction can be viewed on Facility Division’s Web site. McLean said she does not know who set the camera up, but she and the students sometimes go out and pose for pictures to put in a scrapbook.

Follum said the project is targeted to be completed in mid-May.

“All should go according to plan,” Grant said.

McLean said she and others working on the project have already picked out the color board, which is the color and style of the carpeting, paint and wood paneling.

Other than McLean’s slight sadness about leaving the students’ residence hall, all outlooks of the building are positive.

“I can only think it’s going to be an enhancement,” Grant said.