Hatch Hall was built 45 years ago, and recently refurbished at the cost of more than $18 million. Administrators are optimistic about filling the residence.

"Our students are now students of the 21st century and there's a great need for us to appeal to that," said Cathy Scroggs, MU Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs.

However, there are other places students are moving, and they aren't on campus.

"Naturally, if we provide homes to students and they provide homes to students, there is that healthy competition that exists between dorms and off-campus housing," said Stacey Lecocke of Gateway Apartments.

In the past year or so, many new apartment complexes have opened. Lecocke says Gateway has dropped housing prices, while increasing incentives, in order to compete. Most off-campus apartments are around 95 percent full.

"It's my understanding that the dorms are not full," said Lecocke. "I know that this is part of the market we're getting from the on-campus living."

Off-campus housing companies already dominate the upperclassmen market, so are freshman on the table as well?

"The percentage of those students that show up to the dorms and aren't satisfied with that environment are getting exemptions granted and then moving to off-campus housing," said Lecocke.

MU Residential Life hopes $350 million in renovations, proximity, and tradition will keep students signing leases. McDavid Hall also re-opened today after $6 million in renovations.