Employee parking prices would increase about 3 percent on July 1 and fines for parking violations also would go up under a proposal going to the state Board of Regents next week when the group gathers in Ames. Committees will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 21, and the full board will meet Thursday, all at the Alumni Center. The agenda is online, and an audio livestream of all open sessions will be available on the board's website.
Wednesday morning will begin with board members touring the biosciences Advanced Teaching and Research Building, which is set to open next month. About 57 percent of the combined $88 million budget for ATRB and Bessey Hall addition is covered by state appropriations over four years (2016-19).
Parking permits
As proposed, a general staff permit would go up $5 (to $175), a reserved permit would go up $17 (to $550) and a 24-hour reserved permit $28 (to $950). Departmental permits would go up a proposed $30 (18 percent), to $200, and vendor permits would go up $90 (43 percent), to $300. Employee motorcycle permits would increase $2, to $60.
Permit prices for the current year are unchanged from last year.
The regent universities are requesting changes to the Iowa Administrative Code to:
- Require a valid state Department of Transportation disability permit in order to receive campus parking privileges in stalls designated for drivers with disabilities. The intent is to cut down on illegal parking in those designated spots.
- Increase the fines universities may impose for five types of parking violations, including a $20 increase (to $50) for parking without a permit in a reserved space, $10 increase for illegal parking (to $50) and improper parking ($25), and a $5 increase for overtime meter parking or failure to purchase an hourly parking receipt (to $15 each).
Two proposed changes to campus parking rules would:
- Allow students and graduate assistants living in Ames to purchase permits for lots designated for commuter students. Currently, they're not eligible for campus permits.
- Allow campus visitors to return just one parking violation ticket in a lifetime (except for illegal parking or disability parking violation), without paying a fine. Currently, the "free" number is three.
Permits in the Memorial Union ramp, which is managed by the MU, not the parking division, would go up a proposed $5 for a summer permit (to $197) and $12 for an annual permit ($558). Fall, winter or spring permits would go up $6, to either $238 or $244.
The MU proposes to raise the illegal exit fine another $20, to $140.
The board is scheduled to approve parking rates in April.
Tuition discussion delayed again
Due to uncertainty about state funding levels, university tuition proposals for next year are not on the February agenda, as had been anticipated. The board will take a first look at tuition proposals at the April meeting, with approval scheduled for June.
Housing, dining increases
The residence department proposes to raise residence hall rates 2.9 percent and apartment rates 1.9 percent next year. The board will vote in April on the proposed increases.
In dollars, the increases vary from $119 to $254 for the year, depending on the hall and room style. Apartment increases would vary from $89 to $160 for the year.
The residence department's lease and management of off-campus apartments will be reduced to just the Legacy Towers (298 beds) in campustown this fall. It will not be managing apartments in southwest Ames. For the first time in eight years, demand for ISU-owned housing is projected to decrease slightly, yet remain near capacity (more than 99 percent).
ISU Dining proposes to raise student meal plan rates 1 to 2 percent next year, with no adjustments planned for Dining Dollars or Flex Meal options. The "door" rate at dining centers would go up 50 cents as proposed, to $10 for breakfast and $13 for lunch and dinner.
As a reference point, a double room in an unairconditioned hall with the gold meal plan (215 meals and 200 Dining Dollars) would cost $203 more next year than this year, or $8,720.
Athletics projects
The athletics department will seek permission to begin planning up to $80 million in new construction and improvements to facilities adjacent to the football stadium. The proposal features four main components:
- Build a new academic performance and sports nutrition center, to more than double the student-athlete academic space at the Hixson-Lied Student Success Center (shared with the Dean of Students office).
- Demolish the Olsen Building
- Renovate parts of and build an addition to the Bergstrom football facility to house some functions currently in Olsen
- Redevelop the north entrance to the football stadium, including gates, ramps and hillside and marching band seating
Poultry farm modernization
Iowa State will bring a project description and budget to the board's property and facilities committee for a replacement plan at the university's poultry farm on south State Avenue. The proposal is to demolish all nine buildings at the farm, which date back to the 1960s, and in a phased process, replace them with six state-of-the-art facilities for teaching and research. In addition to addressing biosecurity and isolation needs, the new buildings will allow research teams to compete for federal funding and expand the egg and turkey industry contributions to the state economy. Private gifts would pay for the $5 million project. Construction could begin in August and last about a year.
MBA differentiation
The Ivy College of Business will seek board permission to differentiate three master of business administration degree options by name:
- MBA (full-time, two years, on campus)
- Professional MBA (online and downtown Des Moines evening courses, targets employed professionals)
- Executive MBA (online and Friday-Saturday classroom courses, one-week immersion on campus, two U.S. and international study trips, some custom content in agriculture, food and biosciences, targets mid- and senior-career executives)
Employees honored
Iowa State recipients of the regents awards for faculty and staff excellence will be recognized at lunch Thursday.
