A voluntary early retirement incentive for employees in the WSU Retirement Plan (WSURP) was discussed by the Board of Regents in meetings Thursday and Friday.
Classified employees and some AP and faculty are not part of the WSURP, but the university is looking into ways for the benefit to be extended to them. About 298 AP employees, or 20 percent of the AP staff, are in retirement plans other than the WSURP.
The regents also advanced several building projects. The board:
* Approved selection of a general manager/construction manager for the School for Global Animal Health Building on the Pullman campus. The building, which will house the College of Veterinary Medicine’s infectious disease research programs, will be funded through a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other donated funds.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2010.
* Approved a project to refurbish the interiors of Stephenson North and McEachern residence halls. Funding for the $4.25 million project will be provided by the university’s housing and dining system. The work will be done this summer.
* Approved an increase in the cost of a renovation project that will create a new veterinary clinic on the Spokane Riverpoint campus. The construction budget was increased from $1.5 million to $1.75 million to allow for some additions to the original plan. Construction is scheduled to begin next month.
The regents approved housing and dining rates for 2009-2010. The residence hall room and board rates, which have been approved by the Housing and Dining Advisory Board made up of students and administrators, will increase 5.7 percent.
The increase only affects students entering the system; returning students will continue to pay the rate that was in effect when they moved into the halls.
Apartment rental rates will increase 3.5 percent.
The board’s next regularly scheduled meeting is March 27 at the Tri-Cities campus.
