EDUCATION: ALUM CENTER PLAN MAY GET OK'D TODAY

Southeast Missouri State University plans to build a $1.2 million alumni center next to Wildwood, the historic home that once was the official residence of university presidents.

It would be funded largely, if not entirely, with private donations, school officials said. The school already has nearly $1 million in private funds for the project and expects to raise the rest.

Construction could begin in the spring and be completed by the end of next year.

The project is on the agenda for today's meeting of the board of regents, who meet at 1:30 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom. Approval seems likely.

The new Wehking Alumni Center would house the office of alumni services and the university foundation. The two-story, 7,000-square-foot structure includes space for storage and, if necessary, additional offices.

The building would be constructed just to the south and slightly east of Wildwood, with a design to allow joining of the two structures in the future. School officials said the new building would include a multipurpose room for meetings and social events.

Southeast foundation and alumni officials first proposed a new alumni center more than a year ago.

"This really was the third option," said Dr. Ken Dobbins, Southeast president. "We think it was the best option."

Initially, it was proposed that Wildwood be renovated and expanded. Later, the university considered expanding the existing Wehking Alumni Center on Sprigg Street.

Dobbins said parking is limited on the Wildwood grounds, but the university plans to make use of existing parking lots southeast of the grounds along Greek Drive and use a pedestrian bridge to connect them with the center.

Dobbins lives in his off-campus home, but Wildwood continues to be used for official functions.

Don Dickerson, president of the board of regents, said constructing a separate alumni center would allow Wildwood to be used as an official residence for a future president of the school, if needed.

Whatever happens, Dickerson expects receptions and other events will continue to be held at Wildwood. "It is a great place for that," he said.

Constructing a new alumni center would free up space in the existing center for other offices. Dobbins said the existing building could be used temporarily to house administrative offices when Academic Hall is renovated. The university is seeking state funding to renovate the campus landmark.

The current alumni center was never designed to house alumni services, the university foundation and video services. It was built as a migrant center.

Jane Stacy, longtime alumni director and now director of development, said the alumni center project would have thrilled Aleen Wehking, a major financial supporter of the school who died in 1995. She left the university $400,000 for construction of a new alumni center.

Coupled with interest from an endowment provided by Wehking, the university has over $645,000 in Wehking funds for the project. Southeast Missouri natives Earl and Marjorie Holland of Fort Myers, Fla., have contributed about $300,000 toward the project, school officials said.

Stacy said Wehking didn't like the fact there was no place at the current alumni center to entertain visitors.

"There is no ambiance. There is no way to put ambiance into it," Stacy said of the current building.

Where the existing structure is surrounded by the Show Me Center parking lot, the new center will be on landscaped grounds.

Cape Girardeau businessman Mark Hill serves on the university's alumni council and said a new alumni center should would pay fund-raising dividends for the university. "There is no question about it, it would pay for itself," he said.