A new academic year brings plenty of excitement.

Part of that comes from finding what’s newly introduced to campus. La Salle University spent the summer months performing facility upgrades and dining additions to be ready for the Fall semester.

Below, check out what’s new on campus.

Residence halls

Students living on campus will see cosmetic upgrades, including new furniture and necessary maintenance work, within St. Basil Hall, St. Teresa Court, and St. Miguel Townhouses. The work was completed this summer.

Commuter lounge

Through a donation from Trustee Robert Cottone, the Union’s ground floor Commuter Lounge received a variety of upgrades. Students can relax and recharge in a space equipped with new flooring and furniture, additional device-charging stations, a kitchenette, and an additional quiet study lounge.

Campus dining

Some changes are happening to La Salle’s dining options for 2022-23. Most notably, Treetops Café is returning as a dining option, with renovations nearly complete. Treetops will feature new equipment and furniture while serving as the main campus dining hall, said Patrick Lavelle, the Marketing Coordinator for La Salle Dining.

Treetops After Dark also returns with the dining hall’s reopening. Students can enjoy this late-night option several nights a week after dinner, Lavelle said. That’s when Treetops transforms from all-you-care-to-eat, to an a la carte pub style menu. Students on the all-access meal plan will have access to a meal exchange, while others can use S.F.A., cash, or card.

New meal plan options are also available, including a Block 175 plan, Commuter plans, and Faculty meal swipes. Email lasalledining@lasalle.edu. With questions about any La Salle Dining plans.

Campus safety

La Salle Public Safety transitioned to a new access control platform and completed the installation of this new system hardware in three campus buildings. Expansion to other campus buildings is ongoing. The new system allows for real-time monitoring of building access and system health, near real-time updates of access permissions for users, and improved auditing capabilities. A blue light emergency phone enhancement project is in progress. Additional CCTV cameras were installed to increase safety coverage around campus. Facilities also added and upgraded lighting in several areas on campus. Public Safety continues to conduct its annual safety walk with students each year to review needs for safety improvements including lighting, cameras, and landscape design.

A place for peace

A student-driven project came to fruition in April 2022, with the installation of a peace pole, located on the edge of Hansen Quad near College Hall and the De La Salle Chapel. Intended as a spot for campus reflection, the peace pole features the message “Peace will prevail” in multiple languages commonly spoken on campus. They include English, French, Spanish, Russian, Swahili, Arabic, and Mandarin Chinese.

University Ministry, Service, and Support (UMAS) helped facilitate the peace pole’s installation, in collaboration with the Multicultural and International Center. Assistant Vice President of UMAS Brother Bob Kinzler, FSC, said he envisions the peace pole being utilized during celebratory times in the academic and Lasallian calendars, like in September and October during International Lasallian Days for Peace.

—Meg Ryan