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Brewster, Boland and Brockway (BBB) complex, the temporary home of Kent Syverud

(Dave Tobin)

Syracuse, NY -- With his decision to spend a few weeks in a Syracuse University college dorm, Kent Syverud has gone from chancellor-designate to chancellor-dude.

The Twittersphere was abuzz Tuesday over the news that Syverud, who takes over as SU's 12th chancellor in January, would be living in a ground-floor apartment in the Brewster, Boland and Brockway (BBB) complex, one of SU's largest dormitory facilities. And the hashtag #SUChancellorinBB was inspiring its own thread of tweets.

BBB's cluster of beige, high-rise concrete buildings, at 401 Van Buren St., are probably most familiar as part of the urban canyon surrounding Carrier Dome parking lots. The three buildings, built in the late 1960s, house some 765 students and 21 resident advisers, according to BBB's webpage.

Visiting SU as he transitions to his new job, Syverud said he decided to stay in the dorm rather than a hotel as a way to connect with students and get a sense for student life on campus.

Monday night, as he was moving in to his dorm apartment, Syverud, the former dean of the law school at Washington University in St. Louis, said his SU dorm stay was no big thing.

"I've stayed in dorms off-and-on my whole career, usually attending conferences and usually in the summer," he said.

Contact Dave Tobin at 470-3277, dtobin@syracuse.com or via Twitter: @dttobin