Regent’s Roundup

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Editor’s Note: The following actions were taken by the Board of Regents at its November meeting.

Capital outlay readied

Renovation and construction projects to be included in the University’s 1993–94 capital outlay request to the state were approved.

The request for projects on the Ann Arbor main campus totals $157,500,000, including $40,000,000 for new projects; $112,500,000 for continuing projects, or those that have been recognized by the state Legislature on a continuing basis but which may or may not have received recent appropriations; and $2,000,000 for major remodeling projects.

Projects for the Medical Campus total $51,900,000, including $51,000,000 for new projects and $900,000 for major special maintenance projects.

The U-M-Dearborn’s request totals $36,900,000, including $22,500,000 for continuing projects and $14,400,000 for new projects. The U-M-Flint’s request totals $25,000,000, all for continuing projects.

Renovation projects approved

The following renovation projects on the Ann Arbor campus were approved:

—The Kelsey Museum of Archaeology will install a 1,500-square-foot Precision Controlled Chamber, which will “provide complete environmental control as well as added security and fire protection,” Vice President Farris W. Womack said. A mezzanine will be installed on the second floor to provide additional research space. These projects, estimated at $500,000, will be partially funded by gifts.

In addition, as funds become available, sprinklers and an elevator will be installed.

—Cooling towers will be replaced in the Modern Languages Building, School of Music Building, Student Activities Building, School of Business Administration Building and Ruthven Museum Building, at an estimated cost of $850,000.

—The 1993 annual maintenance program for parking services will include “as a first priority, the rehabilitation of the Church Street parking structure which will require two construction seasons to complete,” Womack said. “A smaller repair program for the Simpson Street parking structure will be started as alternate parking spaces can be identified for use during renovations.

Several surface lots will be reconstructed and repaired, including new lighting improvements.” The project is estimated to cost $2.6 million.

—“The U-M Hospitals proposes to upgrade the controller of the Mott Hospital staff elevators. The existing equipment was originally installed when the building was constructed in 1969. An upgrade to the controller will significantly improve the reliability and service speed of the four elevators.” The project is estimated at $255,000.

2 electrical expansions ok’d

Two electrical expansion projects for the Central Campus and the North Campus were approved.

“The Central Campus is fed with two 40 kv Edison lines and in-house generation. In the event of the failure of one Edison line, which could cause generation loss, the one remaining line would carry the campus,” Womack said. “However, additions to the main campus have made it impossible to give 100 percent assurance of service without a third 40 kv Edison service.” The expansion project, estimated at $5,713,000, will involve a new transformer, switchgear and cabling in the Central Power Plant.

“The North Campus Electrical Switching Station will soon reach its limit to serve the ever increasing loads and we need to expand the station,” Womack said. The project, estimated at $4.6 million, will include a new 13.4 kv system by providing two new transformers and relocating the existing two transformers, new breakers, ducts and cables.

UGLi to get a facelift

The design of an addition to the Undergraduate Library Building and proposed renovations to upgrade the existing building were approved.

The 30,000-square-foot addition, approved by the Regents last May, will allow the University to consolidate its science libraries into the Undergraduate Library.

“Unfortunately, the new addition will tend to highlight the poor condition of the existing 37-year-old building,” Womack said. “The need for upgrading the Library has been a long-term objective for which the University is attempting to identify funding.

“To properly coordinate and plan the overall Undergraduate Library development, both the addition, estimated at $6,850,000, and the renovations, estimated at $4 million, should be designed simultaneously. The offices on the connector bridge from West Engineering Building to the Undergraduate Library, estimated at $200,000, should be accomplished together with the addition.”

College of Engineering expands with new Engineering Center Building

The College of Engineering received the go ahead for the construction of the Engineering Center Building on North Campus.

The 110,000-square-foot building will be located directly south of the Walter E. Lay Automotive Laboratory. Its budget is estimated at $20 million, “to be funded primarily by private gifts and College of Engineering funds,” Womack said.

“In the last decade, several construction projects for the College of Engineering have provided excellent classroom and laboratory teaching and research facilities,” he noted. “However, space is still inadequate for student activities, student services, undergraduate student study, college administration, and specialized support services.

“The proposed Engineering Center will provide enlarged space for undergraduate student records, counseling and financial aid offices, and a relocation of engineering placement and the College’s administrative offices.

“Undergraduate student study and lounge space will be created, as well as quarters for the very active engineering student organizations.

“Additional classrooms and dedicated laboratory space for the Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering, a faculty lounge and reading room, and a conference center will complete this diverse project.”

Moore-Anderson of Austin, Texas, and Hobbs and Black of Ann Arbor will be architects for the project.

2 administrative appointments approved

The following administrative appointments were approved:

Eugene Pijanowski, professor of art, who has been associate dean in the School of Art since 1983, will continue in his administrative post for another year, effective July 1, 1993.

Sister Barbara Cervenka, assistant dean for graduate affairs in the School of Art since 1984, will continue in her position for another year, effective July 1, 1993.

$6.4 million in gifts accepted

The Regents formally accepted a total of $6,420,481 in gifts received by the University during October.

The total included $4,630,064 from individuals, $756,403 from corporations, $309,419 from foundations, and $724,595 from associations and others.

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