JULY 6-7, 2000

DATE:   June 23, 2000

TO:   Board of Regents of Higher Education

FROM:   Rod Sundsted, Associate Commissioner for Fiscal Affairs

SUBJECT: Long Range Building Program Project Priority List

Attached is the proposed project priority list for the Long Range Building Program. After approval by the Board of Regents, the priority list must be submitted to the Architecture and Engineering Division, Department of Administration, for consideration in preparation of the Executive Budget. I have also included information regarding each project including information about on-going operation and maintenance where applicable.

At the May, 2000, board meeting, I presented the priority lists that were developed by each university. This proposed MUS list has been developed with the cooperation of both universities, and reflects the generally accepted principles that projects addressing failed systems, critical deferred maintenance, code compliance and life safety deficiencies should be the highest priorities for the MUS. Adaptive renovations that address code compliance, life safety and critical deferred maintenance issues were generally given priority over new construction. These are the same principles used during the development of the FY00-FY01 project priority list for the MUS. While the attached MUS project priority list has the support of both universities and the commissioner's office, it has resulted in several departures from the original campus lists as noted below:

  1. The MSU project priority list had the proposed new Advanced Technology Center at MSU-Northern, which received planning funds from the previous legislature, prioritized higher (number 4) than Phase II of the Cowen Hall Deferred Maintenance project (number 12). The priority of these projects was reversed on the proposed MUS list consistent with the principles noted above. The Cowen Hall deferred maintenance project was number 5 on the MUS priority list last session. This project received partial funding that is being used to replace windows and plan the balance of the needed work. Phase II of the project would renovate some existing office and classroom space and replace mechanical and electrical systems to provide up-to-date air conditioning, ventilation and power distribution. The project will also correct existing deferred maintenance problems and bring the building into compliance with ADA.
  2. The UM number 6 and 9 priorities and the MSU number 10 priority were combined into a MUS system priority number 11 to deal with critical code compliance, disability access, life safety and fire alarm deficiencies.
  3. The MSU number 6 and the UM number 14 priorities were combined into a MUS system priority number 12 for system-wide roof replacements.
  4. The MSU number 11 priority (no similar project was identified by UM) to develop a university-wide facilities master plan was expanded to include a MUS system-wide facilities master plan at priority number 17. This would allow the system to contract with a nationally recognized outside firm to aid in the development of a MUS facility master plan.
  5. The MSU priority number 4 (MSU-Northern, Advanced Technology Center) and number 9 (COT-Billings, New Building Addition) were moved to MUS priorities 19 and 20. The UM priority number 15 (COT-Helena, New Facility) was moved to MUS priority number 18. These changes reflect the principles that new facilities should be a lower priority than failed systems, critical deferred maintenance, code compliance, and life safety projects. However, these three projects that involve new facilities were ranked as the highest priority for new construction on the MUS campuses.

 

 c:  Commissioner Crofts
Presidents
Chancellors

 

ATTACHMENT