Just a day after President Duane Nellis's inauguration as 21st president of Ohio University, the OU Board of Trustees will convene in Walter Hall to discuss upcoming construction projects and plan for the upcoming financial year.
The board will examine resolutions to proceed with masonry repairs on James Hall, as well as a facility “refresh” for Shively Dining Hall, which is budgeted at about $1,835,100. If approved, construction for both projects would begin in the summer of 2018.
Originally built in 1963, James Hall was temporarily stabilized for masonry failures in 2004. If the resolution passes, the university will allocate about $1 million to remove unstable materials and re-lay masonry in an effort to prevent future failures.
Shively Dining Hall, which received its last renovation in 2009, could receive upgrades to its “aesthetics and functionality,” with upgrades to kitchen equipment and renovations focused on “fresh market trends,” according to a university news release.
The board will also discuss a proposed pedestrian bypass under Richland Avenue that would connect West Green with the area near Porter Hall. The City of Athens is designing the proposed bypass, which may require raising Richland Avenue and may cost about $2.3 million.
Representatives from the university’s Office of Information Technology will present an overview of the department’s strategies and budget. According to the meeting agenda, 3.1 percent of the university’s total budget, or about $24 million per year, is allocated for OIT.
Members of the board will also examine a proposal to create a Campus Design Review Advisory Council, which would “provide consistency, leadership, and direction” for both individual projects and the campus as a whole, according to a news release.
If approved, the council would advise the university president on projects impacting the “physical environment” of the campus, with a focus on architecture, landscaping and historic preservation.
The Board of Trustees will assemble for its quarterly meeting Oct. 19-20 in Walter Hall.
