Regents OK apartment complex redo, soccer field change

PULLMAN, Wash. – The Washington State University Board of Regents today approved a $13.3 million renovation of two buildings in the Chief Joseph Apartment Complex; approved a $3 million second phase of planned improvements to the lower soccer field; and adopted revised operating agreements with both the WSU Alumni Association and WSU Foundation.

In their second regular meeting since the start of the fall semester, the regents voted to proceed with renovation of Buildings B and C of Chief Joseph Village, a 95,882-square-foot apartment complex built on the Pullman campus in 1971. The apartment village consists of five residence buildings each consisting of 96 two-and three-bedroom units. After a fire damaged Building D in 2010, it was renovated in 2011 to include new amenities and code and energy upgrades. As part of the Student Housing Long Range Plan, WSU identified the renovation of the remaining four existing buildings of Chief Joseph Village as a priority.

Regents also approved a revised project budget of $3 million for the second phase of the lower soccer field construction project after determining that that access requirements and foundation construction costs would be higher than estimated in the project’s initial $1.6 million budget. The revised $3 million budget accounts for the foundation and access issues and provides for public restrooms, which were not included in the earlier budget.

In other actions, the WSU Regents:

  • Approved the appointment of Regent Scott E. Carson and re-affirmed the appointment of William O. Ward to the WSU Foundation Investment Committee. Members of the WSU Board of Regents are fiduciaries for university endowed assets that are managed by the WSU Foundation. Responsibility for investment and management of those funds lies with the WSU Foundation Investment Committee. Regents are responsible for reviewing and approving Regents-appointed members to the WSU Foundation Investment Committee.
  • Approved revisions to the WSU-WSU Alumni Association Operating Agreement, including adoption of a WSU policy prohibiting volunteers from engaging in discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual misconduct; clarification of the role of the Office of Equal Opportunity in investigating allegations made toward WSUAA volunteers; stipulation that the WSUAA is the university’s only officially recognized alumni association; clarification of the WSUAA’s role in managing the Cougar vehicle license-plate program and the distribution of scholarship funds; adherence by WSUAA to PCI compliance; and updated requirements for WSUAA insurance coverage, indemnification, and liability coverage.
  • Approved revisions to the WSU-WSU Foundation Operating Agreement including the addition of a three-year term for review of the agreement; addition of terms for scheduled review of consultants for audit, investment and financial services; clarification and distinction of the WSUF as a separate entity from WSU from perspective of organization and operations as defined by FASB accounting standards; clarification that WSUF will not accept investments or gifts that obligate WSU; clarification of WSUF’s role as an agent in protecting WSU’s interests in the administration of third party estates and trusts; clarification that WSUF and WSU have joint employees with duties that may extend to both WSUF and WSU roles supporting operating efficiency and coordination.
  • Approved changing the current Master of Arts in Foreign Languages and Culture degree to Master of Arts in Hispanic Studies. The current degree name can be misleading and does not adequately inform applicants about the graduate program. It can give the impression that the department offers several Master of Arts degrees in different languages, which is not the case.
  • Approved changing the Bachelor of Arts in Apparel, Merchandising, and Textiles degree to Bachelor of Arts in Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textiles.

Media contact:

 

Robert Strenge, WSU News, 509-335-3583, rstrenge@wsu.edu

 

 

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