October 2, 2009

Purdue trustees approve fitness, child development centers

The trustees also approved the $3.3 million purchase of a new natural gas-fired boiler, changing the employee medical benefit package and establishing new housing rates at the Fort Wayne campus.

The student fitness and wellness center renovation will improve and enlarge the Recreational Sports Center. When built in 1957 it was the first such building in the nation created solely to serve university student recreational needs. Newer facilities at other Big Ten universities are now larger and better equipped, said the center's director Howard Taylor.

The renovation will improve the cardiovascular fitness, free weight, indoor jogging/walking  space and group exercise/multipurpose spaces. Racquetball courts and gymnasiums will be upgraded, and lockers, common space and healthy snack areas will be added.

"The renovated center will better serve the overall health needs of Purdue students and staff and will help attract top students from around the nation," Taylor said.

The project will be designed in accordance with LEED energy efficiency standards. Construction is scheduled to begin in April 2010 and be complete by August 2012. The project will be financed solely with student user fees and gifts.

Trustees also approved awarding a $7.7 million construction contract to Pepper Construction Co. of Indiana LLC of Indianapolis to build Bill and Sally Hanley Hall. The new facility near the intersection of Martin Jischke Drive and State Street will replace the existing Child Development and Family Studies building. Hanley Hall will house child classroom laboratories and interdisciplinary research centers, including the Center for Families, Military Family Research Institute and Center for Aging and the Life Course.

"This building will be a wellspring of research that positively affects the most rewarding and sometimes challenging aspect of our lives - family relationships," said Dennis Savaiano, dean of the College of Consumer and Family Sciences.

Construction is scheduled to begin this month and be completed by March 2011. The entire $11.5 million project is being funded by gifts and grants.

The trustees also approved the $3.3 million purchase of Boiler No. 7 to be installed at the Wade Utility Plant. The natural gas-fired boiler from Victory Energy Operations LLC in Collinsville, Okla., will provide needed steam supply during the replacement of the plant's oldest boiler, Boiler #1.

"The purchase of this boiler reflects Purdue's ongoing commitment to its highly efficient utility supply system by meeting the energy needs of more than 50,000 students and employees as reliably and cleanly as possible," said Robin Ridgway, director of sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Installation of the new boiler is scheduled to begin in spring 2010 and be complete by fall 2010 in time for the 2010-11 heating season. It will be purchased with funds from the capital reserve for buildings.

The trustees approved several medical benefits changes for 2010, including dropping the Purdue 500 plan because of low participation. A new plan called Purdue Choice Plan will feature a health savings account. Two other plans, Incentive PPO and UnitedHeathcare, will change names respectively to Purdue Incentive Plan and Purdue Co-Pay.

Employee premiums for these two plans will remain the same, but Purdue's contribution will increase 6.8 percent in 2010.

"Since budget pressures resulted in no salary increases for faculty and staff, the university made a commitment to absorb employee premium increases for 2010," said James S. Almond, senior vice president for business services and assistant treasurer.

Trustees also approved student housing rates for Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne that will result in no rate increase for returning on-campus residents who sign a contract before the end of 2009. Residents who sign contracts in 2010 by Feb. 28 will experience a 2.5 percent increase. The rate increase doubles after that date. The university expects an average rate increase of 3 percent.

"The new prices include a tiered rate structure designed to encourage students to return to IPFW housing, " said Walter J. Branson, IPFW vice chancellor of financial affairs.

2010-11 rates for newly constructed housing were established, ranging from $4,440 to $7,500 depending on the number of bedrooms, beds and bathrooms in each unit.

Writer: Jim Schenke, 765-494-6262, jschenke@purdue.edu

Sources: Howard Taylor, 765-494-3114, hhtaylor@purdue.edu

Dennis Savaiano, 765-494-8210, savaiano@purdue.edu

Robin Ridgway, 765-496-6405, rmridgway@purdue.edu

James Almond, 765-494-9706, jsalmond@purdue.edu

Walter Branson, 260-481-6804, brason@ipfw.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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