By Kelsi Peace, Managing Editor

Residence Life director John Delony told the Students’ Association Congress on Wednesday that he made a decision to stop plans to offer additional split-gender housing on campus.

Delony announced a plan earlier this year to convert Edwards and Sikes Halls to split-gender housing like Barret and Smith-Adams.

But the change, he said, does not come from complaints or objections to split-gender housing. Instead, Delony said the shuffling required to allow the residence halls to offer split-gender housing would boost occupancy in some halls past the standard 85 percent, leaving little wiggle room for additional enrollment.

“As a philosophy, it’s still here,” he said, adding later that the plan was still on his agenda for the future.

Delony also unveiled plans to renovate McDonald Hall and McKenzie Hall.

“I have the money to back that up this summer,” Delony said of the slated renovations. “We’re talking an overhaul.”

Delony also said the lottery system will change this year and promised Congress Smith Adams Hall would be “a happening place” next year, adding that juniors and seniors may be able to apply for housing at Smith Adams to live on a floor for upperclassmen.

Also at Wednesday’s meeting, senior senators Perry Harrison and Brandon Smith told Congress they met with executive vice president Phil Schubert to discuss the issue campus janitors of not having health insurance. The university uses an outside contractor to provide janitorial services.

Harrison said at the beginning of the fall semester he received a notification that the janitors weren’t receiving heath insurance.

“I looked into it, and was given information that we go through another company,” he said.

But Harrison said Schubert told the senators he would look into the matter.

“As a representative at a Christian university, I think it’s important that the people who maintain our facilities are treated fairly,” Harrison said.

Also at Wednesday’s meeting, sophomore senator Abby Barnes resigned from her position.