Trustees to vote today on new fraternity house, parking garage

While students are packing up for the summer and seniors are putting on their caps and gowns, the IU board of trustees is still in session.\nAt Thursday's early meeting, IU Vice President for Student Development and Diversity Charlie Nelms presented a strategy to raise the number of minority students on campus. Nelms said he felt that several minority groups, including African American and poor students, are underrepresented. Several groups have had concerns that new admissions standards, passed by the trustees last month, might exclude some minority groups from IU.\nIU President Adam Herbert said he thinks it is important to recruit minority students to Bloomington so that the campus is a more diverse learning environment.\n"The opportunity for our students to enroll in classes with students of different backgrounds enhances the learning process and ensures students will have greater respect for people from other circumstances," he said.\nTrustee Sue Talbot said she believes IU can put an effective plan in place that will attract more minority students.\n"IU statewide is severely lacking in the number of minority students it is serving," Talbot said. "What we're looking for is a commitment to recruit more minority and underrepresented students."\nThe trustees will conclude their May meeting today after approving the 2006-2007 budget and several new building proposals. \nThe 2006-2007 budget, which was drafted at previous board meetings, includes allocations of money to different academic departments and student fees.\nThe trustees are expected to approve building proposals for a reference reading room in the Herman B Wells Main Library, a new building for the Hutton Honors College, a new house for Beta Theta Pi fraternity, additional funding for the Multidisciplinary Science Building Phase II and a new parking garage at the corner of Atwater Avenue and Fess Avenue.\nThe projected cost of the parking garage is estimated to be $10,946,000 and will be funded by Parking Operations according to the trustee's Web site. The site also lists the Hutton Honors College to cost an estimated $3 million, which will be funded through a gift from Edward L. Hutton. \nThe Multidisciplinary Science Building Phase II, a new science building intended to serve several science departments, is part of IU's effort to make IU a top-ranked research university and create life-science jobs in Indiana.\nIf approved, the new three-story limestone chapter house for Beta Theta Pi will be located at 1100 N. Jordan Ave. and will accommodate 50 live-in students and 30 non-residents. \nThe trustees will also hear comments from IU Student Association representatives. Outgoing IUSA President Alex Shortle and incoming IUSA President Betsey Henke will both speak.\nThe business meeting will be held at 10:45 a.m. today in the Frangipani Room at the Indiana Memorial Union and will be open to the public.