Bender Hall, part of the “Towers”, was built in 1969 and stands 12 stories tall on the north side of campus. One of UNI’s traditional residence halls, it houses mostly first-year students and is home to First-Year Experience and STEP Residential Communities, with a total of 11 houses. Bender is a mixed gender hall, where students primarily live in double rooms with a roommate; however, both single and super single rooms are available. Meal plans are required for students who live in Bender Hall. Bender is connected to the Rialto dining center and Towers Center, with easy access to the WRC and the bus terminal. (Please note that for safety reasons, air conditioners cannot be installed.)