Southeast regents to consider bond issue for residence halls, rate increase

Southeast Missouri State University regents will consider approving bond projects totaling $10.23 million to improve residence halls when they meet at 3:30 p.m. Monday. They will also consider raising room and board rates by 2.67 percent and consider approving a schedule of capital improvement projects for 2009.

Of the $10.23 million, $1.1 million would go toward implementing a card access system to enter dorms, $2.2 million for fire sprinklers, $1 million for elevators at Towers North and West, $1 million for windows in Towers South and East, $930,000 for new furniture and equipment at Towers Cafe and $2 million for improvements to the Greek Area, to be determined by Greeks. Another $2 million would go toward a parking lot for a new dorm being built at Henderson Avenue and Broadway. The location of the lot has not been named by university officials.

Room rates would increase by about 4 percent, but board rates would remain the same, for a combined overall increase of 2.67 percent. Rates for one academic year will range from $5,430 for Dearmont to $7,498 for Vandiver under the proposal. Last year room and board rates increased by about 5 percent.

Capital improvement projects up for approval include using $800,000 of local money to improve science labs, $2.6 million of state money to build an autism center and $612,990 of local money to create a "pedestrian plaza" between the Scully and Rhodes buildings.

The board will meet in the Missouriana Room at the University Center. Before the meeting, the regents will attend a strategic planning forum, along with about 100 community members, to discuss priorities and goals for the university over the next three to five years. The forum is by invitation only and will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123