State could approve millions for 3 area colleges

The State Controlling Board is set to vote Monday on millions in appropriations toward three area colleges.

Miami University is seeking money to renovate a hall, Central State could get millions for network upgrades and Wright State could get more than $1 million for a research center project that is in its seventh year.

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Below are the items set for a vote:

Miami University

Miami University could get around $23.6 million to renovate a hall on campus. The appropriation is the largest of any college up for approval from the board on Monday.

Pearson Hall, on South Patterson Avenue in Oxford, is the building that would be upgraded. The facility was built in 1985 and houses the college’s Department of Biological Sciences, according to the controlling board request.

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Around 73,000 square feet of the building are set to be renovated to create “active learning spaces,” student study and collaboration areas and research laboratories. The project will also include upgrades to heating and air conditioning systems and plumbing, according to the controlling board.

Miami has contracted with Messer Construction Co. of Dayton. Separately, the university could also receive more than $18,000 for a partial roof replacement at the campus’ art building, according to the controlling board.

Central State

Central State could get $3.2 million to upgrade its internet infrastructure throughout campus.

“Central State University does not have a reliable IT infrastructure. This project will provide funding to stabilize the campus infrastructure,” the controlling board request states.

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If the money is approved, it will go toward network hardware, Wi-Fi upgrades, workstations, laptops and software systems, among other things. CSU has contracted Laketec Communications of North Olmstead, Ohio, for the project, according to the controlling board.

Wright State

Like Miami, Wright State also has two appropriations up for a vote by the board on Monday.

The largest is for $1.1 million for the Human Performance Consortium Research and Development Center. The money would mean the state has contributed more than $4.1 million to the center.

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The project, which began in 2011, has a goal of building “a nationally recognized research center for the Air Force, Dayton region, and State of Ohio focused on advancing human performance technologies through research, development, training, and commercialization,” according to a project description submitted to the board.

Separately, WSU could also get nearly $150,000 to help fix a problem with its water system that was identified by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2013. The money will help lower chloride levels where a former salt barn was located for 30 to 40 years, according to the controlling board request

Wright State maintains its own wells and water treatment facility and the abandoned salt barn was located near the school’s wells.

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