Mary Rait Hall is coed and houses 200 students. The rooms are
furnished with carpet and furniture including two beds, two
closets, two desks, and two desk chairs. There are also balconies
on most 2nd and 3rd floor rooms. Rait includes community bathrooms,
a kitchen, study lounge, TV lounge, laundry rooms (free), and
vending machines. Secured doors open to a staffed desk entry
area to provide exceptional security for residents. Rait is
also home to an intensive study floor to minimize noise and
maximize study time. Phone, cable, and data connections are
provided for each student.
The current Mary Rait Hall is actually the second Mary Rait
Hall. Originally, Mary Rait Hall was located on the site of
the current Tomlinson Library. Rait Hall was constructed as
housing for female students in 1948, utilizing a bond issue
from local voters. When plans were made for Tomlinson Library,
the Mary Rait name was transferred to this residence hall (originally
one of the four halls named for local tree species - Aspen,
Juniper, Elm, and Pinon).
Mary Rait was an original faculty member at Mesa when the doors
opened in 1925. She served as dean of women and Vice-President
through 1948, when the first residence hall bearing her name
was opened.
