TSUS regents meet in San Marcos
SAN MARCOS, TEXAS — Regents of the Texas State University System Friday issued and sold $26.4 million in bonds to finance construction of a new Art/Technology/Physics complex at Southwest Texas State University.
The Higher Education Assistance Fund bonds were sold to Paine-Webber at an effective interest rate of 4.46 percent.
Funds raised through the bond sale will pay for initial construction phases of the planned 238,000 square-foot building. The total cost of the project is expected to be $37 million with completion scheduled for July 2001.
The construction project represents years of planning on the part of SWT officials and representatives of the region’s high-tech industries. When complete, the building will house a state-of-the-art semi-conductor fabrication laboratory that will give students direct experience related to the high-tech industry.
The building will house the departments of Physics, Technology and Art and Design. In addition to the semi-conductor fabrication lab, it will also be home to a metals and plastics processing laboratory in the Department of Technology. The Department of Art and Design will relocate its existing sophisticated computer graphics design lab to the new building.
The regents also approved two contracts related to the new complex. The university was authorized to award a contract to Ryan-O-Excavating of Dripping Springs in the amount of $1.56 million to extend utilities to the building site, and Century Telephone of San Marcos received a contract for $201,250 to relocate phone lines for the building.
In other SWT-related action, the regents:
• Authorized a contract of $275,716 to Du-Mor Enterprises for a pipeline and pump station to transport water from Spring Lake to the east chiller plant.
• Authorized the university to offer a master of arts degree with a major in health psychology. The proposed degree program must also be approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board before coursework can be offered.
• Adopted resolutions designating Herbert H. Hannan as distinguished professor of biology emeritus, Richard B. Henderson as distinguished professor of political science emeritus, Clarence C. Schultz as distinguished professor of sociology emeritus, Celia A. Morgan as distinguished professor of economics emeritus and Darrell T. Piersol as distinguished professor of management emeritus.
• Changed the name of the General Classroom Building to Centennial Hall in honor of SWT’s centennial celebration to take place next year.
• Adopted amendments to the TSUS Rules and Regulations, including a measure prohibiting permanent signs anywhere on a component university campus promoting the use or consumption of alcohol and tobacco products.
• Approved a new three-year contract with men’s basketball coach Mike Miller.
• Authorized the university to implement a special fee for graduate correspondence instruction at a rate of $95 per semester credit hour.
• Acknowledged gifts to the university of $5,000 or more.
-- The Roy and Joann Cole Mitte Foundation gave $626,250 in support of the Mitte Scholarship Program. This payment is part of the Mitte’s $12.5 million Centennial Campaign pledge of 100 undergraduate and 25 graduate student scholarships annually for $5,000 each.
-- The J.C. Penney Co. Inc. gave $105,000 representing the final payment of a two-year pledge for the new J.C. Penney Career Information Center in the LBJ Student Center.
-- Mr. and Mrs. Al Jaska Jr. of Dios Construction donated $22,500 to establish an endowed scholarship.
-- Michael and Pepi Ann Kahn contributed $13,500 in support of a research program in the Biology Department.
-- Luan Brunson donated $10,000 to increase the Brunson English Endowment.
-- An anonymous donor contributed $10,000 to establish an endowed scholarship fund.
-- Harry Lucas Jr. donated $5,000 for the Honors Math Program.
-- Scott C. Linebrink donated $5,000 to establish an endowment for the baseball program.
-- Bob and Cathy DuHadaway contributed $5,000 in support of the baseball program.
-- Archival materials for the Southwestern Writers Collection were donated by Bill and Sally Wittliff. The value of the materials exceeds $10,000.
• Approved the holiday schedule for 1998-99. Holidays for SWT will be Sept. 7 for Labor Day, Nov. 26-27 for Thanksgiving, Dec. 21-Jan. 1 for Christmas and New Year’s Day, Jan. 18 for Martin Luther King’s birthday, March 15-19 for spring break and May 31 for Memorial Day. Spring break and the Martin Luther King holiday have been designated as energy conservation days. Some offices will remain open with skeleton crews, and employees must use accrued compensatory time or vacation time for the days off.
• Made modifications to the master of applied geography degree.
• Changed the name of the bachelor of science in health professions with a major in health professions-health care administration to a bachelor of healthcare administration with a major in healthcare administration in the Department of Health Administration.
• Authorized the university to issue a purchase requisition not to exceed $197,000 to the Finnigan Corp. for a Finnigan LCQ mass spectrometer for the Chemistry Department.
• Awarded a contract to G&M Catering to operate athletic concession facilities.
• Accepted the semi-annual report of the Aquarena properties.
• Received 12th class day reports for the 1998 spring semester.
• Approved out of country study in Mexico and Spain.
• Approved routine curriculum changes, budget amendments and personnel matters.
The Texas State University System includes Angelo State University in San Angelo, Lamar University-Beaumont, Lamar University Institute of Technology in Beaumont, Lamar University-Orange, Lamar University-Port Arthur, Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, SWT, Sul Ross State University in Alpine and Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College in Uvalde.
Members of the nine-member board are Craig H. Vittitoe of Harlingen, chair; Pollyanna A. Stephens of San Angelo, vice chair; John P. Hageman of Round Rock; Thomas M. Moeller of Beaumont; Elizabeth T. Nash of San Marcos; Nancy R. Neal of Lubbock; Floyd Nickerson of Abilene; Macedonio “Massey” Villarreal of Houston; and Ray Zapata of San Angelo. Chancellor Lamar Urbanovsky manages the system’s office in Austin.