Morrison-McGinnis Commons

Morrison-McGinnis Commons Crest

Community | Acceptance | Character

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Get a sense of the community

Get a feel for all that Morrison-McGinnis Commons has to offer by scrolling through the photo gallery or viewing the video. If you prefer, check it out for yourself by visiting campus, or take an online 360°room tour.

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We've got a lot to offer

Amenities

Fully furnished rooms
  • Furniture (per resident): desk, chair, bed, & dresser
  • Wired and wireless internet
  • Free on-site washer/dryers
  • ADA-compliant rooms available
  • Electricity, water, sewer, & recycling/trash service included
Designed for community
  • Free laundry
  • Movable furniture
  • Tabletop games
  • Community microwaves
Convenient location
  • Walk or bike to class
  • Nearby parking in Binkley garage
  • Easy access to Mac’s Place
  • Central location on-campus
An academically-oriented enviroment
  • 24-hour study rooms and spaces
  • Faculty-in-Residence
  • Peer Academic Leaders (PALs), Honors Mentors, and Wellness Education Student Team(WEST)
  • Educational programs
Worry-free features
  • Professional, on-site maintenance
  • 24-hour, on-call staff
  • Card-controlled building access
  • Security escorts
  • Roommate matching available
  • Adjacent bicycle racks

Building facts

 Community abbreviations  MoMac, MM 
 Building capacity  201
 Year built  1964
 Residential area  Central
 Physical address  6004 Bishop Boulevard
 Room types  Singles and doubles
 Gender  Co-ed by gender by room

 

Sample floor plans

Community bath single room 


MM Single

 

Suite double room 


CM MM Double

 

About our namesakes

J. Ray Morrison was the first head football coach and athletic director for SMU. Morrison was responsible for building—by hand—the practice fields at SMU by carting squares of sod from nearby to the designated location on campus. He is remembered in American football history for his “Flying Circus” offense that helped popularize the forward pass, today a staple of the sport.

Dr. John H. McGinnis was the first professor and original member of the SMU faculty. McGinnis, known for his “strength of individuality” (C.W. Ferguson, “The Other End of the Log”), was a professor of English, founder of the SMU Press, and creator of The Dallas Morning News’ weekly book section.

Room and furniture dimensions

Square footage ranges
  • Suite bath rooms: 130 - 240 sq.ft.
  • Community bath rooms: 160 - 240 sq.ft.
Furniture dimensions
  • Desk: 2'6" H x 3'6" W x 2' D
  • Dresser: 2'6" H x 2'6" W x 2' D
  • Bed: 80" L x 36" W (XL Length Twin)
  • Window: 4'10" H x 3'2" W

Serve where you live: Engage Dallas 

Engage Dallas is a place-based community engagement initiative via SMU’s Residential Commons to address community needs focusing on South and West Dallas. The initiative is a long-term, university-wide commitment led by students to partner with local residents, organizations, and other leaders to positively impact the community. There is equal emphasis on campus and community impact stemming from the initiative.

In Morrison-McGinnis Commons (MoMac), we focus on Child Poverty as a community need in Dallas. MoMac students address this by collaborating on service events and activities with local partner, After8toEducate, Behind Every Door, and Wesley-Rankin Community Center, to directly help those most in need. Our students who serve gain a broader understanding of current social problems, build community with both the city and their peers, and can earn their Community Engagement and Civics & Individual Ethics proficiencies required for graduation. Engage Dallas cultivates unique and enriching experiences for SMU students to explore and serve Dallas! 

Start serving today! 

Questions? Email your MoMac Engage Dallas Student Director, Abigail Nguyen, at abigailn@smu.edu.

What you can expect

SnoMac Winter Festival

SnoMac is a large winter festival and celebration of the end of fall classes. For the past sixyears, members of the Morrison-McGinnis Commons Council fully take the lead in brainstorming, planning, and executing an event that attracts 250to 300 people from the SMU community. Be on the lookout for great food, fun traditions, and stress-relieving activities at this crucial point in the semester.

MoMacians throw what you know!

MoMacians take great pride in the affiliation to their Commons. You'll learn the MoMac Double M sign and the MoMac Spirit Check so you can take pride in your new home just like years of MoMacians before you!

MoMac at the Movies

MoMac at the Movies is a semi-annual campus-wide tradition and favorite event for Morrison-McGinnis residents. Our Faculty in residence rents out a theater in a nearby cinema and arranges a screening of a current, popular film. In addition, SMU faculty members whose areas of expertise align with subjects relevant to the film are invited for a discussion over food following the movie. The fall semester film occurs on Labor Day Monday while the spring semester film occurs during the week of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and focuses on themes of civil rights and social consciousness.

Live, learn, achieve—together

Get to know the Faculty-in-Residence and Residential Community Director of Morrison-McGinnis Commons.

Debra Branch

Dr. Debra Branch (She/her/hers)

Faculty-in-Residence

Debra Branch is a eighth-generation Texan, born in the border town of Eagle Pass and raised in the Piney Woods of East Texas. She received her BA at the University of Texas at Austin and her MA at the University of Oklahoma, both in Sociology. Dr Branch has won several campus honors at SMU, including the prestigious Provost’s Teaching Award. In addition, she teaches regularly at SMU-in-Taos, and has taken students to Cuba as part of the SMU in Havana/Miami abroad program. She is the SMU Faculty-in-Residence for Morrison-McGinnis Residential Commons. Learn more about Dr. Branch and her family.