Severn Hall

The construction of high rise dormitories began in the early 1970s. Choptank Hall was completed in 1972, while Chester Hall opened two years later. The school then took a hiatus from the construction of this style of dormitory. This period would last until 1990, when $4,680,000 was set aside for the building of a third and final high rise residence hall, Severn Hall. Construction occurred under the presidency of Dr. Thomas Bellavance. 

Severn Hall was the tenth residence hall built on Salisbury State University’s campus. Like the other two high rise dorms, the building consisted of six stories. It had a slightly higher capacity than its other two high rise counterparts, housing 236 students. Also like the other two high rises, it was coeducational. Each of the floors was broken into clusters. Each cluster consisted of five bedrooms, housing ten students of a single gender. Two clusters were designated for junior and senior men, with the other two for junior and senior women. Each cluster had its own bathroom. 

Severn Hall was named after the Severn River on the Western Shore of Maryland. This was a departure from the names of the other dormitories. While all had been named after bodies of water in the state, all had been associated with the Eastern Shore instead of the West. The building has undergone two partial renovations of its first floor. The first took place in 2007, and the second in 2013.

Severn Hall continues to operate as a residence hall of Salisbury University. It is coeducational, and houses 236 freshmen. Rooms are still in a cluster style, with roommates sharing a bathroom with other students in their ten person cluster. Double and triple rooms are available. It also has a lounge, kitchen, and laundry facilities.

Bradley, Sylvia. Salisbury: From Normal School to University, 1925 - 2001. Salisbury, Maryland. Salisbury University Press, 2002.

Salisbury University. Severn Hall. Salisbury University. Accessed July 8th 2020. https://www.salisbury.edu/administration/student-affairs/housing-and-residence-life/residence-halls/choptank.aspx.

“Student Union Building Dedicated.” The Holly Leaf December 15th 1966.