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Trustees request tax money for Pearson, Bachelor updates

By Britton Perelman, Culture Editor

University to spend $140M on campus-wide construction projects

Miami University is looking to spend more than $90 million on renovations to Pearson and Bachelor Halls on Oxford campus. During a meeting last Friday, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved the proposal of a Capital Improvement Plan for fiscal years 2017 -2022.

The proposal was approved without any further discussion.

"We're optimistic that a capital bill will move forward in the January/February time frame, and we're hopeful with our submissions that our priorities will be funded at the highest possible level," said David Creamer, vice president for finance and business services.

Miami is hoping to receive more than $97 million from the state of Ohio in renovation expenses for buildings on the Oxford, Hamilton and Middletown campuses.

The Pearson Hall renovation is by far the most costly, at $60.1 million. The renovation will be completed in parts, with Phase 1 taking place during the 2017-2018 fiscal year and Phase 2 taking place during the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

Pearson Hall, home to the biological science departments, was built in 1985. The building has not been updated since, and the upcoming renovation is intended to modernize and bring it up to current standards.

"The big thing is to provide more flexibility in how we use the spaces," said Thomas Crist, chair of the Department of Biology.

Crist explained that many of the lab spaces include benches that are immobile, which creates workspaces that cannot be tailored to the needs of specific instructors or classes. The renovation would fix this problem and accommodate both technology and equipment the departments already use, and technology that will become available in the future.

Crist also hopes the renovation will take into consideration the severe lack of communal space for students in Pearson Hall by creating more study areas.

Like Pearson, Bachelor Hall, home to the English and Mathematics Departments, also hasn't been updated since it was built in 1978. The renovation to Bachelor Hall is a proposed $32 million, and will take place during the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

The remaining $5.4 million is intended for general building repairs on the Hamilton and Middletown campuses.

Creamer explained the faculty members of the departments in each building will be asked for suggestions about what is inneed of renovation.

In addition to the funding from the state of Ohio, Creamer expects Miami will need to secure between $11 million and $20 million in a local match in order for the Pearson Hall renovation to proceed on schedule.

"The amount that is appropriated by the state of Ohio won't allow us to keep up with the aging of our facilities," said Creamer.

The state of Ohio has been able to fully fund similar projects in past years, but a decline in federal contributions has created a need for local funding to support these necessary renovations.

"This issue is made worse by a growing backlog of academic building projects that may require even more local funding if projects are to be undertaken more timely," said Mark Ridenour, chair of the board's finance and audit committee.

Local funding will most likely come in the form of fundraising and university funds originally intended for other purposes.

Miami's proposal will be submitted to the Ohio Department of Higher Education. The Finance and Audit Committee hopes to have more concrete plans upon approval early in spring semester.