The possible split of a language department, the restoration of Marshall Hall and improvements to Spartan Stadium are on this month's MSU Board of Trustees meeting agenda.
The meeting will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Room 443A of the Administration Building.
The board is expected to vote on whether to split the Department of Romance and Classical Languages into two programs: one comprised of Spanish and Portuguese and the other of French, Italian and classical languages.
MSU President M. Peter McPherson said the division would be beneficial to the department because of the growing demand for Spanish courses.
"The demand for Spanish courses has grown substantially and continues to grow," McPherson said. "It is logical that with the growth we have a separate department for Spanish and Portuguese.
"We have a growing Spanish heritage in our country,"McPherson said. "I expect the demand for the Spanish language to continue."
If the plan is approved it will take effect July 1.
The board will also discuss renovations to Marshall Hall, which could give the building a different name.
Last fall, Trustee Randall Pittman donated $6 million dollars for the restoration of the hall, which houses the economics department and is one of the campus' historic buildings, Trustee Donald Nugent said.
Marshall-Adams Hall will be named in honor of former economics Professor Walter Adams. Pittman was Adams' student during his undergraduate years at MSU.
Adams served as the 13th president of MSU for less than a year, between the administrations of John Hannah and Clifton Wharton. Adams died in 1998.
The board will also discuss a project that would expand Spartan Stadium by adding luxury boxes and additional club seating.
Nugent said the finished product would be similar to the luxury suites in Munn Ice Arena.
MSU earns about $500,000 a year from the luxury boxes at Munn and hopes the added boxes in Spartan Stadium will increase revenue.
Nugent said the improvements to the stadium won't have any effect on the university's budget problems, which are a result of a possible $5-million cut in state funding.
"We are not taking tuition dollars to fund either of the projects," he said. "Both projects are funded through private donations."
