Facilities Planning Committee
Meeting Minutes
December 14, 2007

Present: Bill Streeter, Chair, John Desch, Adam Schemm, David Bruning, Rhonda Kimmel, Steve McLaughlin, Don Kolbe, Chuck Hiertz, Fred Ebeid, Don Cress, Doug DeVinny

1. Proposed 2007-8 Lab Mod Committee Recommendations .

Lab Mod money is to be used for updating general classrooms and general computer labs. John distributed a priority listing. This year there are more requests than we believe we will receive money for.

$55,000 each year must be spent on general access computer labs. However, this year there were no proposals of that type submitted, so the committee recommends that as a first priority the campus be credited back that amount of money for the new computer rental program.

There are six proposals from the College of Arts and Sciences, and one proposal from the School of Business and Technology. The highest cost project is the Biosciences organismal lab. It will be located in GRNQ D131, the current Anatomy lab. It is the first of a two phase project request; the second phase will be requested next year to remodel the related support room across the hall. Generally, the Lab Mod policy encourages that remodeling projects should be limited to $30,000, but this project will be considerably more expensive…….

Tom Schnaubelt requested technology upgrades to two rooms in Tallent Hall, and the committee is recommending only portions of that request.

There is also a proposal from Chuck Hiertz, which is actually the second phase of a project that was approved last year. The committee recommends not funding a second phase of that project this year due to lack of sufficient funds. Other lower priority requests likely not to be funded (pending final cost estimates in April) include:

- Additional equipment in the GIS Labs. A portion of the requested equipment may be funded if there is still money remaining.

- Smart Boards in Geosciences labs.

The Lab Mod Committee will come back in April with final cost estimates and will ask the Facilities Planning Committee for final approval. The question was asked regarding whether a small project request could be submitted to the State for the Biosciences organismal lab. Due to its high cost this would have to be an All Agency project, and no funds are available in the current state budget, so Lab Mod is the only way to fund this project.

•  Discussion of Reuse of PR Space to be Vacated in WYLL Hall.

What happens when the PR users move into the Union , i.e., bookstore processing area, Bookstore, PSGA offices, Ranger News? John has received a number of proposals for the use of that space. A request from the Provost for a Student Success Center would include the current Precollege office, Multicultural Student Affairs, Learning Assistance, Tutoring Center , and Career Center , and would also move the Advising Center to an adjacent location. The space available for such a Center would allow for some modest growth of these units if needed. Another proposal has benn received for the proposed LGBTQ Center .

John is exploring the possibility of a new entrance to the Computer Lab from Main Place on the D1 level, which would separate the Computer Lab from the library.

Definite space needs once Comm Arts is under construction are not really known at this time. Bookstore space could be used for temporary classroom space during Comm Arts construction. Rhonda said that an additional seven classrooms will be needed while Comm Arts is closed.

There are concerns regarding the restrooms in Main Place due to their small size and the large number of people that attend events in that space. We have submitted a 1.3 million dollar request to renovate bathrooms across the campus, making them bigger and bringing them up to code, which would impact the current Advising Center suite. This was the campus' highest priority for the last biennial budget cycle. It is now competing for funding with the mechanical system problems in Tallent Hall.

3. Proposal for reuse of PR space to be vacated by Admissions in MOLN Hall. Dean Ebeid .

Dean Ebeid has spoken with his faculty and has created a committee to take a look at existing rooms, and then to talk about what is needed to be done to enhance rooms for graduate programs in Business and Technology. The rooms are not modern, etc. It is felt that a good “front door” to the School of Business and Technology is needed. This area would house the Dean, his assistant, the advisor, assistant deal and conference room. Currently the Dean's Office is at the end of a long hallway and cannot serve as a “front door”. When the Admissions Office is vacated this area might be a good location for the School of Business and Technology “front door”. We currently have good medium sized classrooms that could be enhanced for the graduate programs. Fred distributed a page outlining the need for this space, which also included reports on faculty visits to other schools. John reported that the current office space occupied by the Dean and his assistant could be turned into a good classroom space, or additional faculty offices. Classroom space will be at a premium during the Comm Arts construction. Also, if enrollment is increasing there will be a need for additional faculty offices. There was discussion regarding dedicated departmental classrooms and computer labs. John talked about the ongoing need to get the best utilization of campus space. The question was also raised regarding a possible inventory of computer lab usage.

4. Project Updates. John Desch.

Union . The Union will open in the Spring of 2009 – just over a year from now. The question was asked as to how soon a decision would need to be made regarding new use of the Admissions Office space.

Comm Arts Project. The project is going well. When the cost had to be reduced, some of the additional classroom space was removed, and therefore we may end up with only a minor increase in classroom space. John is working with Rhonda to make sure that the classroom needs will be met, i.e., correct size classrooms, etc. There is the possibility that the Digital Arts program could stay in the Computer Lab area. That would free up space in Comm Arts. However a decision has yet to be reached. It is thought that the public art gallery will still be associated with the common lobby space and the entrance to the building. There is money in the Comm Arts renovation budget for cosmetic changes in the Main Stage.

The Comm Arts programming stage continues through January, and then the design goes through July 2008. The plan then goes to the Board of Regents for approval. Between August and December the final construction bid documents are prepared. Groundbreaking is expected in 2009, and the new building should open in January 2011.

Residence Hall project. Scheduled to open Fall 2009. Board of Regents Capital Planning Committee has approved, and now it goes on to the Building Commission. The building will be constructed just north of the new Union , and will be a modified suite-style for 250 beds, which could later be expanded to 376 beds.

5. New Requests . Bill Streeter received an email from DeAnn Possehl. She is asking for conversion of at least one and possibly more bathrooms on campus to a gender neutral bathrooms, which would be used by either gender and lockable. One possible location is the mens' bathroom in Upper Main Place . This type of bathroom is convenient for families, and also for transgendered persons. The bathroom suggested is very small and could easily be converted. There will be gender neutral bathrooms in the new Union . The issue of code requirements for a gender neutral bathroom was raised. Can the gender neutral restroom wait until the new restrooms are constructed? John will look at this situation before the next meeting.

Don Cress also mentioned that a student has asked if there could be information “screens” around campus for communications, i.e., class not being held, etc., or a computer at the entrance of each building that would list classes cancelled. This will be available in the new Union . Bill asked John to look into computer kiosks for quick lookups. The road plan will be reviewed at the next meeting.