4/19/98
ATHENS, Ohio -- A $137 million plan to renovate university residence and dining halls over the next 20 years was adopted Saturday by the Ohio University Board of Trustees.
Renovation rather than new construction is the overall recommendation because the classic Georgian-style architecture of its residence halls and the residential nature of the campus are major attractions to students, according to Ira Fink of Ira Fink and Associates of Berkeley, Calif., a consulting firm hired by the trustees to analyze renovation needs. The average age of main campus residence halls is 34 years, and plumbing, wiring, windows, roofing and air conditioning systems need renovation or replacement, according to a plan supplied by Fink.
. "These are not self-correcting problems," said Gary North, vice president for administration. "Our goal is to get like-new buildings." Through the 20 years, specific plans for renovations and capital funding must be reviewed and approved by the trustees before implementation.
North said that at its June budget-setting meeting, trustees will consider an 8 percent surcharge on room-and-board fees to create a renovation fund. He said that an additional $2.1 million currently paid annually for housing bonds would become available in 2012 when the bonds are retired.
Most of the renovations could be completed in the summer when the residence halls are unoccupied, but some may be closed for an entire year of renovations.
In other action, trustees:
* Heard a report from Admissions Director Kip Howard that a record 12,500 applications were received from prospective freshmen for fall quarter 1998, the second-most applications received by any state-assisted university in Ohio. Ohio State University received the most applications.
* Approved a resolution supporting passage of Issue 2 on May 5 that "encourages students, faculty, staff alumni and friends of the University and higher education to join the Board in supporting the passage of a state-wide sales tax issue to insure additional funding for public schools and real estate tax relief." Some trustees noted that without the new tax revenues that Issue 2 provides, the higher education system is vulnerable to significant state budget reductions that could dramatically increase tuition and cut staff.
*Approved a resolution to rename the Department of Clinical Research in the College of Osteopathic Medicine to the Department of Biomedical Sciences. The change reflects an expanded mission that will include an emphasis on basic research, applied biomedical research and research in medical education.
*Agreed to spend $326,756 in available state funds for a second phase of construction projects to make Americans with Disabilities Act improvements to the Research and Technology Building, Chubb Hall and several residence halls.
*Agreed to advertise for bids for the Hocking River Bridge Project, creating a footbridge across the Hocking River to access three new holes planned for the university golf course. The bridge and new holes are necessary because the current golf course is being reconfigured to allow for the construction of tennis courts and a football practice field, North said. The trustees had previously hired Kabil Associates which has completed plans and specifications for the bridge that will connect to the new holes on university-owned land across the Hocking River from the golf course.
*Approved the renovation of 10,000 square feet of unoccupied space at the Riffe Center on the Southern Campus for the campus radio, television and communications programs.
*Named the lounge in the new Bob Wren Stadium after Joseph F. Dean, a former student-athlete, coach and administrator who led efforts to secure funding for the stadium. Dean, who was a two-time, first-team All-Mid-American Conference linebacker and a member of the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League, was inducted into the Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame in 1975. *Named the renovated basketball office suite in the Convocation Center "The Vern and Marion Alden Basketball Suite." Vernon Alden was the 15th president of Ohio University.
*Named Room 189 of Stocker Center "The Loehr Leadership Resource Center" after Gerald G. Loehr, one of the founders of the Robe Leadership Institute. Room 189 houses the literature and resource center for the institute, which is part of the Russ College of Engineering and Technology.
* Agreed to spend $178,750 to renovate the Putnam Hall Child Care Center.