The new student apartments at NMSU are setting the standard for university housing.

The Chamisa Village apartments, located on the corner of Locust and Stewart streets, adjacent to Corbett Center, opened Aug. 1.

The complex offers two-and four-person apartments with private bedrooms, shared kitchens, bathrooms and living rooms and the latest in student housing amenities.

Internet access in every room, full-sized beds and community space that emphasizes study rooms and academic endeavors are key features.

“These apartments are pretty much state of the art for campus apartment housing and designed to balance the privacy and community with the NMSU courtyard concept,” said Julie Weber, director of housing and residential life.

Weber says the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International (ACUHO-I) has identified trends in student housing and among them is increased flexibility.

“We have tried to build in as much flexibility into the individual spaces as we could,” Weber says. “Furniture is moveable, the bedrooms are large enough for students to bring in additional furniture and the bed is elevated so that drawer space is available underneath.”

Another change in housing demonstrated by Chamisa Village is that apartments designated for junior and senior-level students are being moved to the center of campus, allowing those students to maintain a stronger connection to all the resources on campus.

Weber says these changes are in place to encourage students to live on campus longer.