Board OKs plan for two new colleges

Board OKs plan for two new colleges

BY LINDSEY FIELDER
Rice News staff

At its May meeting, the Rice Board of Trustees approved a plan to build two new residential colleges as part of the first project to meet on-campus housing needs in light of the university’s plans to expand the student body by 30 percent.

At its May meeting, the Rice Board of Trustees approved a plan to build two new colleges on the north side of campus.

The 10th residential college on campus, which will be named Burton and Deedee McMurtry College, will be situated south of Jones College (see story at right). The 11th college will be constructed west of Martel College. A shared servery will be constructed between the two, and a new master’s house will accompany each college.

Each new college will house 325 undergraduates and will also include a 250-seat common area and a private dining room.

The colleges are slated for completion and occupancy by fall 2009. The university is currently in the process of interviewing architects.

In addition to new housing, a shared servery will be built for Will Rice, Sid Richardson and Lovett colleges.

The board also approved the funds to continue the million-dollar renovation of Keith-Wiess Geological Laboratories. The approved project will renovate a total of 22,000 square feet, including the first floor, a portion of the second floor and any associated furnishings and equipment.

The trustees also voted to go forward with the first phase of the Collaborative Research Center (CRC), an interdisciplinary biotechnology and bioscience research center for Rice. The request for project approval — including scope definition, budget, and schedule — will be presented to the board in September. The CRC will be located at the southwest corner of Main Street and University Boulevard.

The next board meeting will be Sept. 13-14.