The name for the new 15-story dormitory under construction was announced to be Morrill Hall in August 1967. As in the case of presidents of the university memorialized by the residence halls of the Presidential Court, Justin Morrill, who introduced the congressional bill establishing land-grant universities, had been previously honored—in his case by the naming of two buildings for him. Morrill Residence Hall was built by a private developer, Walker Graham of Memphis (who also built the Golf Range Apartments) and was then purchased by the university. As part of the land deal, Graham gave UT the acreage on Neyland Drive that was used for the Faculty (later University) Club and is now the UT Welcome Center, reserving a long-term lease on one and one-half acres with Kingston Pike frontage.
Morrill Hall cost $3.7 million and was the first coed dormitory on campus. Students moved in for fall quarter 1968, and before the November 2 dedication, the residence hall had obtained a special place in the area of student antics. In late September, 50 to 75 men from the Presidential Complex staged a panty raid on Morrill Hall and were very surprised when they were rewarded with both men’s and women’s undergarments—apparently, the Carrick and Reese raiders were not aware that the first eight floors of Morrill were for men and the top six were for women.