Arkansas Tech University will invest $500,000 in renovations to Jones Residence Hall and Roush Residence Hall on its Russellville campus following action by the Tech Board of Trustees on Thursday.
Both residence halls will receive a new roof as a result of the project. Plans also include the removal of all ceiling finishes inside Roush Hall, and those ceilings will be re-painted.
The renovations will be completed during summer 2010, and the $500,000 needed to complete them will be transferred from the unappropriated housing fund balance.
The renovations were recommended by a committee consisting of staff members from the Arkansas Tech Physical Plant and the Arkansas Tech Office of Residence Life.
Construction of Roush Hall (photographed, bottom right) was completed in summer 1963 and it was dedicated at Homecoming 1963. Jones Hall (photographed, top right) opened in fall 1967 and was dedicated at Homecoming 1967.
In other business on Thursday, the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees approved:
*a formalized policy for the naming of Arkansas Tech facilities and properties;
*a recommendation from the Office of Financial Aid that Arkansas Tech end its participation in the Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) program at the close of the spring 2010 semester and begin participating in the Federal Direct Lending program during the summer 2010 terms because of an anticipated move by the federal government to eliminate the FFEL program as early as this summer;
*Liberty Bank as the provider of banking services for general operating funds, payroll accounts, financial aid accounts and other ancillary accounts for Arkansas Tech University during the 2010-11 fiscal year, with an annual university option for renewal in the six fiscal years to follow;
*Comfort Systems USA of Little Rock as the contractor for $2.1 million in upgrades to the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical systems, fume hoods, controls and lighting at McEver Hall as provided for by America Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds;
*and the purchase of a property adjacent to the Arkansas Tech University campus in Ozark at 1701 Helberg Lane for $88,825, with funding coming from the unappropriated educational and general funds balance.
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