University Fast Links Academic Affairs Academic Calendar Academic Community Engagement (ACE) Academic Planning and Assessment Accepted Students Admissions (Undergraduate) Admissions (Graduate) Admission Requirements Analytical Laboratory Advising (Medical/Dental Related) Advising (SAM Center) Agricultural Sciences and Engineering Technology Alumni Association Alcohol and Drug Abuse Initiative Army ROTC - Military Science Athletics Banner Banking Bearkat Camp Bearkat Express Payment Bearkat Marching Band Bearkat OneCard Bearkat Transfer Scholarship Blackboard Blinn College Transfers Bookstore Books & Supplies Budget Office Bursar's Office Business Administration Calendars Campus Map Career Services Catalogs Class Schedule Computer Account Creation Computer Labs Continuing Education Controller's Office Correspondence Course Division Counseling Center Criminal Justice Current Students Dean of Students' Office Departments Department of Dance Dining Services Directory Education Educator Preparation Services Emergency Management Employment Opportunities English Language Institute Enrollment Management Environmental, Health and Safety Office Exchange Mail Facilites Management Facilities Space Management Faculty Senate Faculty/Staff Directory Final Exam Schedule Finance and Operations Financial Aid Fine Arts and Mass Communication First-Year Experience General Information Graduate Studies Great Names Health Sciences Honors College Homecoming Human Resources Humanities and Social Sciences IT@Sam IT@Sam Service Desk Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) Institutional Effectiveness Internal Grant Program Institutional Review Board (IRB) International Programs Joint Admission Students KatFacts Library (NGL) Lone Star College Transfers Lowman Student Center Map - Campus Marketing & Communications Math CAMP Medical & Allied Health Programs McNair Program Military Science Mobile Go Center Music Music Choir News Nursing Office of Business Services Office of the President Online Information Request Organization Chart Orientation - New Student PACE Parent Relations Office Parking Payroll Office Procurement and Business Services Procurement Opportunities Project Connect Property Prospective Students Public Safety Quality Enhancement Plan Reading Center Recreational Sports Registration Registrar's Office Research and Sponsored Programs Residence Life Risk Management Sam Shuttle SACS Reaffirmation Sam Houston Memorial Museum SamMenu (Download) SamWeb Sciences Services for Students with Disabilities Schedule of Classes Scholarships SHSU Marketplace Spirit Programs Staff Council Student Activities Student Government Association Student Health Center Student Legal Services Student Money Management Center Student Services Student Services Calendar Summer Camps Technology Tutorials Testing Center Theatre and Dance Today@Sam Tour the University Transcripts Transfer Equivalency Guide Transfer Students TRIES University Advancement University Center University Hotel University Park - Northwest Houston Campus University Police Department Veterans Visitor & Alumni Center The Woodlands Center Writing Center

Today@Sam Article

Regents Approve Energy Conservation Project

Feb.11, 2011
SHSU Media Contact: Julia May

AUSTIN—Sam Houston State University will be taking major steps to reduce its “carbon footprint” over the next two years through a new energy and water conservation project.

The Texas State University System Board of Regents, SHSU’s governing body, authorized the university to enter into an energy services contract with Schneider Electric Buildings Americas, Inc., during its quarterly meeting Feb. 10-11. The company will do work that will result in energy cost savings to SHSU of $33 million over a 20-year period.

The scope of work includes campus-wide lighting retro-fit, improved building automated systems, replacement of equipment and fixtures to reduce water consumption, upgrading laundry equipment to reduce natural gas consumption and installing energy monitoring for optimum building efficiency.

Approximately 117 facilities and 3.5 million square feet of SHSU’s main campus are included in the project. In addition to the projected utility cost savings, the university will receive approximately $371,000 in rebates for implementing energy efficiency measures.

The project will be funded from Texas State University System Revenue Finance System Bonds, subject to approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Bond Review Board.

In other business, the board authorized SHSU to increase room rates by 7 percent, effective in Fall 2011, for Baldwin, Crawford, Creager and Mallon houses; other small houses; King Hall; Belvin and Elliott Halls; Estill Hall; Jackson-Shaver Hall; White Hall; Sam Houston Village; Raven Village; and Bearkat Village apartments.

SHSU requested the increase to cover the costs of operations, renovations and repairs and because free laundry is being offered as a new amenity in all halls.

The board also approved new meal plan rates. For mandatory meal plans the rates will increase by 2.7 percent on the 20-meal plan (from $1,290 to $1,325) and by 4.9 percent (from $1,215 to $1,275) on the 15-meal plan.

For the voluntary plans, the increase will be 4.32 percent (from $575 to $600) for the any-5-meal plan and 4.4 percent (from $182 to $190) for the 25-meal semester plan.

SHSU requested the increase to address the impact of cost-of-living increases, cost-of-goods inflation, the expansion of campus facilities, and the contractor cost to meet student demand.

The regents also approved naming SHSU’s newest residence facility “Lone Star Hall” on completion of the project. Students selected the name in an election in November 2010.

- END -

This page maintained by SHSU's Communications Office
Director: Bruce Erickson
Assistant Director: Julia May
Writer: Jennifer Gauntt
Located in the 115 Administration Building
Telephone: 936.294.1836; Fax: 936.294.1834

Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu.