POSTED AT 11:53 PM ON Oct. 4, 2009 | PRINT | Email | SHARE | COMMENTS (4)

The IU Board of Trustees approved three new building projects Thursday and Friday, including a plan to add to the two existing Informatics buildings.

Architects from Axis Group proposed adding a narrow building in the back of the two former greek houses on 10th Street, creating a courtyard space between the two buildings and giving the School of Informatics additional offices, lecture classrooms and collaborative work spaces.

Though approved, the plan drew some skepticism from the trustees, who feared it might be a short-term fix to the problem.

“I’m worried this is a Band-Aid effort instead of using real money,” Board President William Cast said.

Also approved were an indoor riding facility and a covered sport court at Bradford Woods. The plan, which is expected to cost about $460,000, will be funded by a grant from the Riley Children’s Association.

The board also approved the newest addition to the growing “technology park” at 10th Street and the Bypass, the Cyberinfrastructure building.

To create a modern workspace while tying the building into the main campus, the project’s architects envision an L-shaped building with an open floor plan and a limestone and glass exterior.

“We have a real diverse type of buildings that become the background to the landscape and the theme of campus,” University Architect Bob Meadows said.

The trustees expressed some concern about pedestrian access to the satellite area of campus before approving the project.

Due to the economic situation, an increased number of contractors are competing for smaller building projects, competitively pricing the projects at 10 to 40 percent less.

In addition to the approval of future campus construction projects, the board of trustees also heard updates from faculty and student groups.

Erika Dowell, secretary of the University Faculty Council, spoke to the board about the faculty’s concern that the University’s new tuition incentive grants would increase student pressure on instructors for specific grades due to their monetary value.

Nick Clark, president of the Graduate and Professional Student Organization, spoke with the board about a possible proposal to create separate undergraduate and graduate activity fees. 

He said this proposal was not about financial concerns, but about maintaining professional boundaries between graduate and undergraduate services.

“Graduate students are not simply students; they are instructors, researchers and graders,” Clark said.