The University will begin planning a new residence hall to be built in the Bean parking lot between East 17th Avenue and Moss Street, Vice President for Student Affairs Robin Holmes told the University Senate on Wednesday.
The project is expected to cost $55 million to $70 million and be ready to open in fall 2012. It will not take up the entire parking lot space, but is expected to be four to five stories tall. The hall will be able to house 450 to 500 students.
Holmes said the building will have standard rooms, suites, semi-suites, public areas and a dining hall. The goal of the hall is to attract upperclassmen as well as freshmen.
Holmes said the money will come from state bonds and be paid off with room and board money, the same payment system used on the Living Learning Center, which cost $27 million to build and opened in 2006.
In addition, tuition for next year is likely to rise more than the 3.6 percent agreed upon by the Oregon State Legislature and the Oregon University System, OUS Chancellor George Pernsteiner said. The increase will be the result of a perilous economic environment, he said.
Vice President of Finance and Administration Frances Dyke gave a gloomy budget update to the Senate. “We know we will survive,” she said, but added that more budget cuts should be expected when Gov. Ted Kulongoski makes his forecast Friday, Feb. 20.
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