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NMSU Approves Budget And Building Projects

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – At a regular meeting Friday, the New Mexico State University Board of Regents approved the operating budget for fiscal year 2010-2011 and moved forward on three renovation or remodeling projects.

The approved budget for all campuses is just under $697 million, with operating funds of more than $612 million and capital outlay of about $84 million. The approved budget includes interim solutions to deal with decreased instruction and general funding at the Las Cruces campus while the university undergoes a collaborative process to identify required strategic cuts. The process is expected to continue into the fall semester so faculty can give input when they return for the new academic year.

The projects approved included renovations to the NMSU Grants Martinez Hall, a remodel and additions to the Health Center on the Las Cruces campus and ADA and fire safety upgrades to Anderson Hall on the Las Cruces campus.

The renovations to Martinez Hall, the main building on the NMSU Grants campus, include repairs to the existing solar heating system as well as renovations to the library to make it more energy efficient and more functional for student use. Both parts of the renovations are funded in part by a grant from the New Mexico Department of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The renovations will cost $880,000.

The Las Cruces campus Health Center project will remodel and add to the Student Health Center to accommodate combining it with the Employee Health Center, which will relocate from current rented space. Combining the centers will result in cost savings as well as the elimination of duplicated services and the improvement of services, such as enhanced pharmacy and x-ray services. The $1.5 million project is funded by previously approved revenue bonds.

This is the second phase of upgrades to Anderson Hall, which houses the Physical Science Laboratory, to correct deficiencies in the fire safety features of the building including exits, stairs, corridor doors and other related issues. Restrooms will be upgraded to meet current ADA standards. The majority of funding for the $1.2 million update will come from Physical Science Laboratory plant funds.

In other business the Regents approved the university's capital outlay requests for 2011-2012. The capital outlay requests included technology and infrastructure renovation and expansion funds for all NMSU campuses as well as planning funds for the second phase of the Southern New Mexico Advanced Technology Education Center in Alamogordo, a Digital Media Center in Carlsbad, phase eight of the Dona Ana Community College East Mesa Center, an Arts, Sciences and Child Development Center in Grants, and renovations and additions to Hardman and Jacobs halls on the Las Cruces campus for the Undergraduate Teaching Center and a Student Services facility.