Bruce Hall (University of North Texas): Wikis

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{| class="infobox" style="width: 25em; font-size: 90%;"
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! colspan="2" | Bruce Hall, University of North Texas
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|Full name
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | Bruce Hall
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|Mascot
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | Roach
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|Type
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | Fully-catered, co-educational
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|Named after
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | Dr. William Herschel Bruce
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|Established
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | 1947
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|Association
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | Bruce Hall Association
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|Website
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | http://web2.unt.edu/bha/
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:This article is about the residence hall at the University of North Texas. For alternate uses, see Bruce Hall

Bruce Hall is a co-ed residence hall located at the University of North Texas in Denton, TX. Opened in February 1947, it is the oldest facility on that campus still operated as a dormitory.

Layout and Structure

Bruce Hall is located at the center of the UNT campus, on the corner of Avenue C and Chestnut Streets. The building was designed by architect George Dahl, best-known for numerous buildings and monuments in Dallas, TX, including the Neiman-Marcus flagship store and Dealey Plaza.

The building contains eleven wings of mostly resident rooms, mixed with various activity areas, utility rooms, and lounges. Each wing is unisex and features a centrally-located community bathroom with an average of five toilet stalls and five showers. Two handicapped-accessible rooms are found on the A200 wing. A resident assistant lives in a room at the center of the hallway.

Unlike other buildings on campus, Bruce Hall features a pitched roof instead of a horizontal flat surface. This reddish-brown roof is broken up with small windows that lead into the attics on top. It was originally considered two dormitories within one building and divided internally into northern and southern halves. Additionally, a series of renovations have replaced a variety of public area rooms and added new ones, such as the Sherwood Lounge, which originally was a minor study room and is now a multimedia entertainment room.

Wing Names

At the beginning of each semester, each resident assistant is encouraged to coin a nickname for their wing. This is done to generate identity and a sense of community. Over the years, some of the wings have utilized traditional names that date back a number of years:

{| border="1"
! Wing !! Nickname
|-
! A300
| BΣT
|-
! B100
| The Highlands, The Legendary B100
|-
! C300
| Archer Ave.
|-
! D300
| The Rebel Alliance
|}

Traditions

Organizations

A number of student organizations have been based at Bruce Hall during its existence. Currently, the Bruce Hall Association (BHA) is an in-hall organization recognized as official by university administration. All members of Bruce Hall are automatically members, who annually elect four officers to represent them in the campus-wide Residence Hall Association (a fifth officer is appointed by the remaining four). Each year, BHA organizes a number of traditional annual programs, including the Bruce Jam and the Haunted House.

At one time or another, the following in-hall organizations where recognized as official, but such status has since expired:

BΣT: based on the A300 wing was founded in 1977 as the Country Club.

The Rebel Alliance: based on the D300 wing, its memebership was limited to its male residents along with their partners. Because of its adjacent location, female residents of the B300 wing had also been traditionally included

The Highlands: based on the B100 wing, RA Brenton Thompson painted the end posterboard with a signature combination of the UNT green and the St. Andrew's Cross that makes up the flag of Scotland. Known for such later contributions as the Caber Toss to the Bruce Hall Olympics, the Highlands are often renamed based on the attitude of the current community. Due to its location in the basement, it is often considered to be a relaxed and mellow atmosphere.

Sucky Movie Night: the students would rent the worst movie they could find, gather in the TV room called the Red Room, watch and then discuss the film.

Craft Mafia: held in the concert hall, residents would learn about and create a variety of arts and crafts including knitting and crocheting.

Finally, there exists R.O.A.R., an unofficial student organization in the style of a mock-secret society, the name of which is an backronym for Royal Order and Army of the Roach. Founded in 1996 by Elder Hesters and Elder G. Members dressed themselves from head to toe in black clothing, going so far as to completely hide their faces with black masks and hoods. They portrayed themselves as the nameless embodiments of the community's spirit and could often be found at hall association meetings around campus, offering both comic relief and support.

Awards

At the end of every spring semester, the Resident Hall Association presents the Hall of the Year award to that dorms hall association that has created the best community not only in their own hall, but all around campus. Attendance, participation, originality, and uniquness are among the many qualities that make the hall of the year. Each hall that wishes to be nominated must submit a written bid and present a presentation (live and/or prerecorded). Another award presented on the same day as the Hall of the Year award is the Most Improved Hall. Bruce Hall Association (BHA) has won both these awards a number of times in its history.

Hall of the Year

1999 - <br />
2003 - Advisor Billy Rousell, President Son Nguyen , Vice President Bill Close, Secretary Ben Roman, Treasurer Derek Gates, RHA Rep Patrick Stewart <br />
2004 - Advisor Billy Rousell, President Derek Gates, Vice President Ben Roman, Secretary Amanda Martine, Treasurer Patrick Stewart, RHA Rep Jordan Pokladnik

Most Improved Hall

2002 - Advisor Billy Rousell, President Nate Sinclair, Treasurer Bill Close

Ghosts

Bruce Hall has a local reputation for paranormal activity thanks to its famous ghosts. Wanda and The Boiler Room Ghost (Boiler Room Bill) have garnered the most regional acclaim (Wanda is said to be found behind the always locked attic door next to room D418), although residents have reported encounters with additional spirits.

Naming Conventions

A variety of places within the dormitory are named in seemingly arbitrary or contrived manners. The tradition, however, dates back to at least the early 1990s. When an RA or Hall Director left the hall to graduate or pursue other interests, they were given the option of naming an area in a style befitting the area or its identity. Names include the Sherwood Lounge, the Jon Collins Concert Hall, The Ford, The Czech Stop, DK's Honeymoon Suite, The Red Room, and more. As of late the tradition has fallen into obscurity as the university no longer provides the appropriate placards for the official naming, and fewer areas exist to be named.

Mascot

The Roach became the mascot of the building in the 50s when an abundance of roaches became a badge of courage. The assertion was made that killing roaches was off limits as they were a protected species, and hence their vast numbers. The installation of air conditioning units scared a majority of them away, although all old buildings on the campus are plagued by roaches, crickets, etc.

The unofficial symbol for the community is the “Celtic Roach”, so-called because its intricate design evokes the weave patterns found in Celtic symbols. It was originally designed by former BHA Treasurer Rebecca Watkins.

Miscellaneous

Outside of Bruce Hall on its southwest corner is a time capsule buried during the building’s 50th anniversary celebration. It contains one item from each resident and staff member. Its marker states it should be opened April 9, 2047.

Because of its proximity to the music and art buildings, Bruce is known mostly as the artists' and musicians' dorm. There are music practice rooms in the bowels of the building, and many eccentric residents have lived there over the years, constructing interesting art projects in the lobby and environs, expressing themselves with free spirited dress (kilts and combat boots, anyone?), and juggling Jell-O in the cafeteria. The folks who hang out in the lobby became know years ago as the "lizards", short for "Lobby Lizards." However in recent years the phrase "Lobby Rats" has also been used to describe the students in the lobby.

For many years there was no air conditioning in the dorm, but ceiling fans and window units began arriving in the late 80s and early 90s to the relief of the residents. Bruce was the last dormitory on campus to allow smoking inside the building, but that privilege was revoked starting fall of 2001.