Minutes of Meeting

CAMPUS SPACE AND FACILITIES COMMITTEE
Minutes of March 20, 2001

Memorial Union Rose Room

Committee members present: Will Bleier, Shauna Corry, John Elder, Gary Goreham, Erik Kantrud, Jane Lessard, Berlin Nelson, Dick Rayl, Al Schneiter for Ken Grafton, Craig Schnell, and Brad Strand.

Absent: Darryl Booker and Gordon Strommen.

Ex-officio members present: Ginny Bair, Bruce Frantz, and Tim Lee.

Ex-officio members absent: Paul Gleye and Don Hanson.

Others present: Gina Haugen, Virginia Lepage, and Gary Narum.

Will Bleier moved to accept the minutes of the October 19, 2000, meeting. Erik Kantrud seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Tim Lee reported on the results from a parking and transportation telephone survey of NDSU faculty and staff prepared by Daniel Klenow from the NDSU Department of Sociology/ Anthropology. The survey was done in January and February 2001. Approximately 96 percent of the faculty and staff have parking permits. A total of 72 percent of the faculty and 54 percent of the staff are either very satisfied or satisfied with the parking system. Support for a parking ramp on the NDSU campus is relatively high with 40 percent of the faculty and 60 percent of the staff having some level of agreement with a proposal to build a parking ramp. Twenty-nine percent of faculty and 33 percent of staff were willing to pay more to park in a multi-level parking ramp. Current use of the MAT system by faculty and staff is low with each group slightly more than 3 percent.

Revisions to the current parking brochure were reviewed by Tim Lee. The 2001-2002 brochure will be available in June. Will Bleier moved to accept the revisions as proposed. Jane Lessard seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Dick Rayl reported that the Residence Hall building committee is discussing proposed building sites. The proposed site(s) recommended by the building committee will be reviewed by the Planning Subcommittee.

Craig Schnell reported that he solicited proposals for use of available space in Hastings Hall due to IBID moving to the Research and Technology Park. Since no interest was expressed, he recommended the earlier request received from the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute for the space be granted. Will Bleier moved to assign the area currently occupied by IBID to the Transportation Institute. Erik Kantrud seconded. Motion approved.

Dick Rayl informed the committee of progress in the Research and Technology Park. The Phoenix International building should be completed by May 2001 with the NDSU building completion scheduled for the latter part of August or early September. There have been inquiries from private industries to locate in the Park. Future development to the east includes three buildings that the University would lease and a fourth building is planned as a 20,000 sq. ft., modular design, multi-tenant incubator facility.

Dick Rayl commented that a committee, chaired by the student body president, is developing plans to open the entrance gate to NDSU at the southeast corner of the campus and to create an arboretum on campus. The entrance gate was welded shut some years ago. Plans are to have the gate open before first semester. Plans associated with the gate opening and arboretum project will be submitted to the Planning Subcommittee for review.

Bruce Frantz reported on FEMA issues and related mitigation activity. Most of the restoration has been completed except the library basement which will be restored to new condition. An architect is working on the project. Relocation has occurred for some departments formerly housed in the library. Funds for restoration are anticipated from FEMA.

A FEMA representative has been on campus for a mitigation review. The first sketch includes interfacing with the city and region for storm sewer retention ponds and emergency generators. However, funding may not be available. Funding from FEMA would be available for buildings. The second sketch would include berms to hold back water at the Memorial Union, EML, and Library and steam line work on the south side of the campus.

Dick Rayl provided a legislative status report for capital projects. At this point during the session, the Senate has passed an appropriation of $1.7 million for extraordinary repairs for NDSU. Emergency legislation allowed for the University to proceed with F Court replacement and Robinson Hall renovations. Other capital projects contained in legislation are Sudro Hall renovations and addition, Residence Hall building, Minard Hall addition, and College of Business Administration building. Sources of funding for the $505,050 Robinson Hall project are 50 percent each from a federal USDA grant and local funds. The $2,950,000 Sudro Hall project will be funded primarily by private funds. Bonds issued for construction of a new Residence Hall ($8 million) will be paid from rental income. Bonding authority has been provided for the Minard Hall addition ($3 million) and College of Business Administration building ($20 million) with private contributions as the source of funding. F Court replacement ($2,310,000) will be funded by insurance proceeds and residence life repair and replacement reserves and will be built in the same area of University Village, but not on the same footprint. Since this represents a site location change, it requires approval of the Campus Space and Facilities Committee. Berlin Nelson moved to approve the site plan. Gary Goreham seconded the motion. Motion approved.

Future use of the C. I. Nelson Health Center was discussed, i.e., potential occupants when the building is vacated due to the operations moving to the new Health and Wellness Center. Dick Rayl stated that at this time anyone interested in occupying the facility would have to accept the building as is or have the funding to make any structural changes. Since the building will be considered vacated space, the Campus Space and Facilities Committee or Space Subcommittee will make a recommendation for future occupancy in the building based on requests.

Brad Strand initiated discussion for the rugby field project. Dick Rayl informed the committee that plans are to plant the field this fall. He stated that the site may not be permanent for the rugby field as the area may be needed for other campus projects, i.e., parking lot, residence halls, etc. Erik Kantrud expressed his concern for possible other uses since student government has allocated $20,000 toward the rugby field project.

Dick Rayl reported that various sites in downtown are being looked at for possible occupancy by NDSU departments, i.e., studio arts, architecture, and Tri-College. Sites include the Steffens Office Building, Reinhardt Building, Black Building, and Northern School Supply. The most viable at this time appears to be the Northern School Supply building. The earliest that a downtown campus site would occur is the 2002-2003 school year.

Prepared by:

Virginia Lepage
Assistant for the Vice President