The proposed $482 million plan calls for new construction on two campus sites — Western Campus and the marching band field — totaling 1,099 beds and 950 dining seats. In addition to the new buildings, MU officials are considering converting the neighboring Miami Inn and Marcum Conference Center for an additional 104 beds. Three to five buildings could go offline, according the report, but those buildings were not identified.
The report stressed the need for renovations in campus housing, which consists of 41 buildings with an average age of 61. Havighurst Hall, MU’s newest residence hall, was built in 1983 and the last major residential renovation project was in 1995 at Peabody Hall.
“The buildings, themselves, are sound,” Creamer said. “But, most of the buildings’ systems are beyond the end of their life cycle.”
Demand for housing is high at Miami. Creamer said the university is at 101 percent residential capacity, forcing housing officials to make triple rooms out of doubles, as well as convert study-lounge areas into dorm rooms. The size of MU’s dorms is 30 percent below the national average, Creamer said. Miami requires first- and second-year students to live on campus.
Students living in the new and renovated rooms likely would pay between 10- and 20-percent higher housing fees, according to the report.
Construction and renovation plans are expected to take 15 to 20 years, according to Creamer.
Enrollment for the fall 2010 semester is on pace to beat last year’s record numbers, according to John Skilling, special assistant to the president for enrollment. Preliminary numbers show nearly 17,000 students applied to MU this year, with between 3,450 and 3,550 students expected to enroll for the fall.
Students enrolled this fall will be paying more to attend Miami University. A 3.5 percent tuition increase already has been approved for fiscal year 2010. An additional 3 percent hike is under consideration by the finance and audit subcommittee, which could be approved in May.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2551 or mrossiter@coxohio.com.
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