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Board of Trustees to meet Friday

By Megan Zahneis, News Editor

Miami University's Board of Trustees is expected to approve several resolutions in its meeting this Friday, including the allocation of $150,000 in unrestricted funding as quasi-endowments for the Pre-Law Center and Student Affairs, the sale of bonds to help finance construction, and the renaming of the Department of Family Studies and Social Work.

Occasionally, the University allocates funds from large private donations that are unrestricted -- meaning donors don't specify a specific use for their money -- as long-term financial support for strategic initiatives. Two of these quasi-endowments, pending approval Friday, will be awarded to the Pre-Law Center and to the Division of Student Affairs. The Pre-Law Center will receive $50,000 and Student Affairs -- which oversees all student organizations and Greek life -- is slated to get $100,000.

The university will soon begin selling up to $180 million in bonds to cover the cost of constructing two new North Quad residence halls, one on the site of the tennis courts and the other at the former Withrow Hall. The projects are estimated to cost $125 million and are projected to be completed by fall 2018.

Trustees are also expected to approve a resolution renaming the Department of Family Studies and Social Work to the Department of Family Science and Social Work, on the recommendation of department chair Elise Radina. The name change, Radina wrote in a memo to University Senate's Executive Committee, "reflects the national trend in the field in terms of locating Family Studies within a scientific context."

The Miami University Board of Trustees will meet from 9 to 11 a.m. Friday in room 180-6 of the Marcum Conference Center.