Board approves biennial capital improvement request, housing and meal plan rates

At its regular meeting on Thursday, September 1, the University of Southern Indiana Board of Trustees reviewed and approved the 2023-25 Capital Improvement Budget Request to be presented to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, the State Budget Committee, and later before the fiscal committees of the Indiana General Assembly during the 2023 Legislative Session.

The University is seeking $83 million for the renovation and rehabilitation of capital projects including Academic Renovation Phase I-inclusive of Phase IV of the Health Professions Center and renovation of the Byron C. Wright Administration Building. Renovations will include updates to classrooms, student study spaces, technology infrastructure, teaching labs and expanded simulation training.

In other business, the Board of Trustees approved housing and meal plan rates for the 2023-24 Academic Year. Due to universal increases in food costs, meal plans will increase by $96 per semester. In response to this, and to keep student cost increases at a minimum, the University is reducing the cost of housing rates by $96 per semester to provide a net zero increase for those students utilizing University housing and standard meal plans. In addition, the University will offer a two-year housing rate lock in 2023-24 and 2024-25 to students who plan to reside in University housing for their first two years.

The Board also heard an update on current campus construction projects.