The Board of Trustees Friday approved $17 million in summer 2002 renovations to three Kilgo Quadrangle dormitories. At their quarterly meeting, trustees also approved changes to Duke retirees' health insurance and held discussions regarding athletics, the Graduate School and the University's financial position.
The dorm renovations are the first phase of a project that will significantly improve dorms in Kilgo, Crowell and Craven quads and possibly Few quad. Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta said the renovations will likely take at least four years.
During the project, Duke will add air conditioning and new data ports for each student, new lighting in hallways, elevators and sprinkler protection throughout the buildings; it will also renovate all bathrooms and make them accessible to the disabled.
"[The dorms are being renovated due to] aging mechanical systems, need for air conditioning, need for finishes to be upgraded [and the] need for bathrooms to be updated and replaced," Moneta wrote in an e-mail. Moneta provided the impetus to renovate the dorms during the summer rather than the academic year, speeding up the University's transition to provide housing for all sophomores on West Campus next year.
At the meeting, trustees also approved changes that will reduce the percentage the University contributes to retirees' health coverage. Beginning in 2003, current retirees covered by the plan will receive 80 percent coverage--down from 85 percent. In the future, retirees will be covered through a multi-step system in which the University's contribution is based on both the employee's age and years of service.
The change results from accounting procedures that require the University to increase the amount it budgets for retirees' medical coverage from about $5 million to $6 million annually to $25 million more.
IN OTHER BUSINESS: The trustees discussed the academic lives of student-athletes, in particular the distribution of majors among them and the obstacles to choosing certain majors, said President Nan Keohane.
Keohane added that the Campaign for Duke remains on schedule to reach its targeted $2 billion goal by December 2003 and that donations to the Annual Fund continue to improve a month after they were down about 40 percent.
Trustees also attended the groundbreaking for the Nasher Museum of Art Thursday night. The $20 million museum will house the existing collection of the Duke University Museum of Art. Keohane announced Thursday that the Nasher Foundation of Dallas, Texas, will donate $2.5 million in honor of founder Raymond Nasher, who contributed $7.5 million to the museum.
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