USI » Governmental Relations » Captial Budget 2005-2007

ATTACHMENT A

DETAILED PROJECT DESCRIPTION

NEW CONSTRUCTION

Budget Agency Number: G-0-05-1-01 Page 1 of 3

DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT:

The University of Southern Indiana proposes construction of a new School of Business/General Classroom Building. This request is a direct result of the significant growth in enrollment in the School of Business and in other academic programs. In the past ten years, annual FTE enrollment at the University of Southern Indiana has increased by 56 percent, from 5,164 in 1992-1993 to 8,049 in 2002-2003. School of Business enrollment in bachelor's and master's degree programs has increased from 1,399 in 1993 to 1,809 in 2003, an increase of 29 percent. The new facility will provide needed general and specialized classrooms and laboratory space to support instruction, research, and engagement for workforce development. Included in the project is the expansion of the University's physical plant facilities and completion of the lower level of the Education Center.

The new 78,392 assignable square foot (ASF) School of Business/General Classroom Building will be a four-story facility constructed between the Liberal Arts Center and the Technology Center. The project will include the expansion of the physical plant to support the operation of University facilities and the construction of a new and relocated maintenance, building services, and storeroom facility. Completion of the lower level of the Education Center will provide needed classroom, laboratory, and office space for the Department of Social Work and general classrooms for all academic schools and departments.

New Construction

78,392 ASF School of Business/General Classroom Building

17,058 ASF Physical Plant Expansion

8,650 ASF Education Center Classrooms

104,100 ASF Combined New Construction

School of Business/General Classroom Building

The new facility will serve expanded enrollments in the School of Business at both the undergraduate and the graduate level and provide needed general classroom and specialized laboratory and instructional space, faculty and administrative offices, student study areas, computer laboratories, and group meeting facilities.

Construction of the new facility will:

· Provide a stimulus to support and promote increased undergraduate and graduate student enrollment;

· Provide a common place to link University faculty with members of the region's business community;

· Support the integration of business and technology curricula;

· Enhance the ability to recruit new faculty and retain existing faculty; and,

· Provide support for the maintenance of accreditation by AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business).

The general classroom space and specialized laboratories in the new facility will be used to support academic requirements for the University's engineering program and proposed manufacturing technology program.

By constructing a multipurpose classroom building for the School of Business with shared general academic instructional space and specialized laboratories, it will be possible for the University to gain economies of scale relative to both construction and subsequent operating costs. The building will allow the University to provide programs that equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to enter immediately into the workforce, promote student and faculty research, and provide enhanced training opportunities for existing business, industry, and manufacturing personnel.

Physical Plant Expansion

The 17,058 ASF expansion of the physical plant is needed to add equipment to increase the supply of central plant heating and cooling water and to expand electrical distribution capabilities for new and existing campus facilities. Sufficient capacity exists to operate the new David L. Rice Library, planned for completion in 2006. However, additional capacity is needed to support the operation of the School of Business/General Classroom Building and any other new facilities. Included in the expansion of the physical plant are the addition of a centrifugal chiller and a high temperature/high pressure water boiler and the relocation of the maintenance and custodial departments.

Education Center Classrooms

As part of the project, 8,650 ASF of unfinished space in the lower level of the Education Center will be completed for the Social Work Department and for general use by all academic schools and departments. New construction in the lower level will add needed classrooms, laboratories, student study areas, and administrative offices.

PLANNING CHANGES:

This project has not been reviewed at the planning review stage.

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS:

Construction of the new School of Business/General Classroom Building is closely related to future projects in the University's 2005-2015 Ten-Year Capital Plan. Once the new School of Business/General Classroom Building is constructed, existing space in the Orr Center will be reconfigured to better serve University needs, and planned renovations to the Technology Center will be completed.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:

This project does not involve historically significant buildings.

8600 University Boulevard - Evansville, IN 47712-3596 - 812/464-8600