President Notes Campus Project Progress

James Gaertner

• Parking. By the end of the summer we will have more than 750 parking spaces more than we started with this year.
• Signage. This project is part of a citywide effort. It will define campus boundaries and assist new visitors as well as those on campus more frequently. It will include maps and diagrams and how to reach the campus from various locations throughout the city, a systematic designation of parking lots, clear directions to parking, and way finding/accessibility signage.
• New student housing. Our planning research indicates that this is a major need, and we are looking at several solutions in partnership with the private sector which will provide apartment-type housing on university property in the Bowers Stadium area.
• Improvement of existing housing. We are continuing the "clean-up fix-up" work on many of the university's residence halls which have not undergone such improvements for some time.
• New dining facility. We are exploring the possibility of adding a new dining facility on the south side of the campus, in the vicinity of the Barnes & Noble temporary bookstore.
• General Purpose/Classroom Building. This will be the new home for history, library science, psychology, the Academic Enrichment Center, a Computer Services lab, a testing center, the Honors Program, classrooms and a lecture hall. Project completion is expected this fall with occupancy in the spring 2003 semester.
• Lowman Student Center re-opening. ARA food and Barnes & Noble bookstore contractors are putting the finishing touches on their new areas, and some areas of the LSC will be open this summer. A formal re-opening will be held this fall for this important facility that is the social and geographical heart of our campus.
• Traditions. A committee chaired by President Emeritus Bobby K. Marks has completed a report on campus traditions and made recommendations which will be strongly considered.
• President's Circle. The newly developing President's Circle will build a statewide network of friends to help us share our messages.
• Bearkat Bucks. A committee which includes campus and Chamber representatives will soon offer a recommendation on how we may be able to expand and improve the current campus ID card. The trend is an "all-in-one" loaded card capable of handling all on-campus transactions, financial and otherwise; in addition to usage at off campus locations.
• Visibility. A number of activities are under way including billboard and other advertising, the promotion of SHSU experts in regional and national media and use of a clipping service to measure those "hits," a new toll free telephone number, along with upgrading campus telephone service and procedures, campus stationery standardization, and partnership in the new Huntsville Activities Guide.
• Stakeholder research. Based on research and findings of what students most like about SHSU, we are promoting SHSU as a classic collegiate atmosphere where students enjoy interaction with faculty and other students. We will continue to do research to find out more about our strengths and weaknesses.
• Increasing fees to improve services. The university's board of regents recently approved fee increases that will be used for installation of a computer-based electronic lock system on all academic buildings, additional faculty and staff support for instruction, upgrading classrooms with computer and other instructional equipment, adding technical support personnel, and reducing class sizes.
• Capital campaign. Consultants have been interviewed and proposals are being accepted for the university's first capital campaign, which will have some exciting goals for funding many areas of our already-outstanding campus and programs.
• Better communication. Use of periodic reports such as this and other efforts emphasizing our openness to area media, as well as electronic updates by e-mail and the campus Website will help faculty, staff, students and the community keep better informed about what's happening on the hill.

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SHSU Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
June 6, 2002
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