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Trustees approve $6 million for parking, construction

Miami's Board of Trustees voted to expand parking and infrastructure in central campus, approve two new degree programs, create several quasi-endowments and make other nominal changes to the university's facilities in their bi-monthly meeting on April 21.

The board approved a $6 million infrastructure contract for central campus.

"Improvements include renovation and expansion to six parking lots, the art quad landscape and hardscape, gutter and curb repairs on Maple Street, tunnel top/sidewalk replacements on Maple Street and related signage. The project will be performed in phases and is expected to be complete by November," reads the University News and Communications statement.

The renovated and expanded areas will include the two lots near Shriver Center, the lot near MacMillan Center and the lots near Cook Field, according to David Creamer, Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Services and Treasurer.

The board also approved two new degrees at Miami: a Bachelor of Science in Education Studies in the College of Education, Health and Society and the Master of Fine Arts in Experience Design in the College of Creative Arts.

The Experience Design MFA (called the "xd: MFA") is a collaboration between the university's graphic design and interactive media studies departments, offering a degree for students wishing to improve their design or user experience skills.

The trustees approved an expansion of "quasi-endowments" (essentially, small earmarked portions of the university's $560 million endowment) for the College of Education, Health and Society. The total of all new quasi-endowments is $8,050,000.

Of that amount, $2.5 million is allocated to EHS scholarships, $2.5 million is allocated to EHS discretionary spending, $1.5 million is allocated to discretionary spending for the Department of Kinesiology and Health, $1.5 million is allocated to equipment and facilities for the Department of Kinesiology and Health and $50,000 is allocated to the "long-term priorities" of the Department of Family Science and Social Work.

The board of trustees also voted to name a new residence hall "Presidents Hall," to change Tom Herbert's role (now vice president for advancement) to "senior vice president for advancement," and to approve emerita/emeritus status for retiring faculty and administrators.