Renovations to campus buildings and the university's funding requests to the state are the main issues on the agenda for Friday's MSU Board of Trustees meeting.
University Engineer Bob Nestle said he expects the board to approve construction plans to renovate the Brody Complex and the Clinical Center and Life Sciences Building.
The Brody Complex renovations are expected to cost about $1.5 million, Nestle said, and the Clinical Center and Life Sciences Building costs are estimated at $740,000.
"There are two types of projects," Nestle said. "One driven by academic programs and the second driven by maintenance needs.
"Both are critical."
He added that the renovations to Brody Complex include replacing the high-voltage system that feeds electricity throughout the complex.
The ventilation systems in the other two buildings will be replaced if approved by the trustees.
Nestle said the board also is expected to appoint architects and engineers to renovate Snyder and Phillips halls and build the Matilda R. Wilson Veterinary Center.
Both of the projects still are in early development stages, but construction should be approved at future board meetings, Nestle said.
The Snyder and Phillips halls project is estimated to cost around $17.5 million.
The veterinary center is expected to cost about $3 million.
Trustee Dee Cook said the second board meeting of the year should be routine, except for the presence of MSU's top administrator who has been absent from board meetings over the past few months.
"I'm very happy that President (M. Peter) McPherson is back and healthy," Cook said. "He's been working very hard to get up to speed and get back on the harness."
But the issue on the agenda most MSU students might be affected by is the amount of appropriations granted to MSU by the state.
The board will review the appropriation requests made by university officials that will affect funding for the 2004-05 school year.
In July, the state slashed MSU's appropriations by $21 million, forcing the university to impose $31 million in cuts and raise tuition by 9.9 percent.
Trustee Donald Nugent said it's important for the university to maintain open and early communication with Michigan legislators.
"If things don't turn out as well as projected, we want to be as strong as we can to avoid further cuts," Nugent said.
