The MSU Board of Trustees held their last meeting for the fall 2016 semester on Friday morning. The board also said goodbye to previous trustee, Diann Woodard, who was not reelected to the board in the Nov. 9 election. Here are some of the highlights from the meeting.
1. MSU Mobility Plan
MSU unveiled a new plan for easier and better mobility across campus, which is undergoing research, Vice President for Administrative Services Satish Udpa said.
The plan will look at ways MSU could better decongest traffic across campus, which could include changing bus routes, bike lanes, moped parking, academic class schedule changes and decreasing sidewalk traffic, MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said.
“There’s all these really interconnected pieces,” Simon said. “The idea is, rather than making recommendations in each area, to have everybody look at the entire thing.”
As the team of researchers synthesizes data, Udpa said more will be known about the plan in December 2017.
2. Jenison Field House Alterations, Spartan Stadium Addition
Jenison Field House will be undergoing interior cosmetic updates in the athletic offices funded through the MSU Athletic Department.
In addition, Spartan Stadium will undergo construction on its south end. It will ideally increase effective flow of traffic into the south end of the building and will not displace any parking, though some parking will be moved to alleviate the new structure.
Bathrooms will also be added to the south end.
3. Campus Water System Improvements
Though MSU retains high standards of water quality, the MSU Board of Trustees approved an initiative to make further improvements to MSU’s water.
MSU’s water supply is tested frequently and passes regulatory requirements, but many users of the water have concerns over the “red water events” on campus and the water’s taste, which was discussed in the meeting.
As research continues, MSU will look into cost effective ways to increase water palatability and look through different infiltration mechanisms and water softening techniques.
Though the true cost of the project is not known, the projected preliminary budget is $12 million to $32 million.
4. President’s Contract
President Simon will not receive a pay increase this year, but her contract as president will continue.
Since 2007, Simon has only accepted a pay increase in 2014.
Simon instead committed $100,000 to the Lou Anna K. and Roy J. Simon scholarship fund, a fund named after her and her spouse, set aside exclusively for first-generation college students.
5. New Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
The board approved the construction for a new Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building, which will be located off of Service Road near the new MSU Bio Engineering Facility.
The two buildings will work in conjunction together and are strategically placed alongside the Life Sciences buildings to foster a “neighborhood of scientific research in the biomedical and biological sciences,” a report on the construction said.
The project will cost $100 million and will include 100 new members of faculty.
