SEMO MASTER PLAN OK'd; MONEY FOR NEW PROGRAMS SOUGHT

Progress carries a price tag.

For Southeast Missouri State University, the price tag is $9.8 million for new academic programs and projects over the next three years. They include a new focus on technical training and establishment of an education center in Sikeston.

The board of Regents Thursday voted to submit to the state an operating budget request that envisions spending $4 million in fiscal 1998 on new academic programs and projects, $3.46 million in fiscal 1999 and $2.24 million in fiscal 2000.

The board also approved a much-discussed master plan that outlines campus improvements for the next 20 years. The plan calls for spending $681,500 this fiscal year on campus improvements.

The enhanced-missions plan will be submitted to the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education, the first step in the state-funding process for colleges and universities. The mission-enhancements price tag is for operating expenses only.

Southeast expects to spend more than $70 million to operate the university next fiscal year, up from $65 million this year.

State funding currently makes up about $39 million of the school's operating budget.

The operating budget request doesn't include money for a facility to house a Sikeston center.

Art Wallhausen, assistant to the president at Southeast, said the goal is to have the local community provide the building to house the center.

Dr. Ken Dobbins, executive vice president, said the school wants to deliver academic programs throughout the region by providing education centers and televised classes.

In addition to the Sikeston center, Southeast wants to set up two more centers by the year 2000.

The technical training plan includes construction of a $5.5 million vocational-technical center. Money for such a facility is included in a separate capital budget request for fiscal 1998 and 1999.

Regents agreed to request $34.6 million for capital projects, including $12.5 million to renovate Academic Hall and $5.4 million to remodel the Art Building.

Long-range plans include a $13.6 million performing arts center. Southeast officials hope to secure state funding for that project for fiscal 2001.

Dobbins said the master plan is only a guideline, and each individual project would require future board approval to be implemented.

The board gave general approval to the university's plan to spend $681,500 this fiscal year on campus improvements.

The improvements include:

-- $308,750 on signs and landscaping.

-- $25,000 for administrative and academic department moves.

-- $80,000 for demolition of several houses.

-- $100,000 to relocate the crime lab.

-- $72,250 for feasibility and preliminary design plans associated with various projects.

-- $25,000 for a structural review of the Art Building.

-- $42,500 for a water system plan.

-- $28,000 for a sewer plan.

Dobbins said the university wants to provide directional signs and green spaces to provide a more friendly campus environment.

He said the university wants to relocate the crime lab from its current quarters in an old house on Henderson to the Tlapek building near Schnucks Midtown.

The building currently houses university maintenance personnel. But Dobbins said the school wants to move the maintenance people closer to the campus.

The new crime lab also could house the policy academy and serve as a criminal justice center, he said.

Specific plans for these projects are still being finalized.

Regent Don Dickerson said none of these projects will be implemented until detailed plans are presented and approved by the board.