Southside Living Area
Southside is a scenic residential community located on the south end of campus. Valentine and deKiewiet Towers were built in 1965 and are named after University presidents Alan Valentine (1901–1980) and Cornelis deKiewiet (1951–1961). Originally constructed as graduate housing, Southside later transitioned to undergraduate housing.
Beginning in the 2025–2026 academic year, Valentine Tower will exclusively house undergraduate fifth-year students (Take 5, E5, and students taking additional time to complete their degrees), Master’s students, and School of Nursing students (both Master’s and Accelerated BSN programs). deKiewiet Tower remains open to all upperclass students. The surrounding maisonettes are available to juniors and seniors. Eligible students looking for more information can find application instructions on our application page and answers to frequently asked questions in our Valentine FAQ sheet.
The Southside Living Area is located near the Medical Center on Kendrick Road and is served by multiple University shuttle lines (blue and silver lines).
deKiewiet offers two- and three-person suites, while Valentine offers only two-person suites. These suites do not include common rooms but are equipped with full kitchens (including a refrigerator and stove/oven) and a bathroom shared by suitemates. The two-person suites feature two generously sized bedrooms. In deKiewiet’s three-person suites, there are two large bedrooms and one smaller bedroom.
The Maisonettes are spacious two-person apartments with exterior entrances, available exclusively to juniors and seniors. They include a large common room, kitchen, and shared bathroom. These buildings are assigned to the Group 3 meal plan.
Southside suites are considered independent living. Residents are responsible for supplying and cleaning their own spaces, including bathrooms. Toilet paper is available at the service desk located in Valentine Tower.
Community amenities in Southside include a lounge in the basement of Valentine Tower and a central courtyard.
Room Dimensions
Average room dimensions for the Southside Living Area are:
- Large rooms: ~10’ x 14’
- Small room: ~9’ x 10’
Note: The dimensions listed here are averages. All rooms have slightly different dimensions.
Amenities
Southside Living Area offers the following amenities:
- Common lounge in Valentine basement
- Beautiful courtyard
- Access to two shuttle lines
- Plentiful bike racks
- Service desk in Valentine Tower
- Large parking lot next to Valentine
Resources
Students interested in living in Southside can use the following resources to help make their decision.
Floor Plans
deKiewiet Hall floor plans (pdf)
Maisonettes floor plans (pdf)
Valentine Hall floor plans (pdf)