(09-08-2022 08:45 AM)bcp_jmu Wrote: Squeaky clean is good....allocations are nothing new.
That's wild that room and board are not part of #1 in VA.
Can you expand on this? Curious how we do add new classrooms...has to be enrollment growth first?
" calculated formula of sq. footage vs. enrollment usage"
There is a standard, state-wide formula based on room usage and sq. footage vs. enrollment. The formula has different classifications that attempt to accommodate specialized spaces like labs, studios, practice rooms, etc. (acknowledging that not all “classrooms” or instructional space is the same thing, or used in the same way). When enrollment grows (as it has at JMU), and the formula suggests additional instructional space is warranted, an institution can go to the General Assembly and expect the legislators will listen. It doesn’t necessarily mean the legislator’s will act or approve the request, but a justification for the “ask” can be made.
Age of a facility and its functional lifespan can also be part of making a request. The demolition of D hall was an example of a facility being past its functional life span, plus needing to serve a larger enrollment. Same for Phillips Hall. Most of the time, the legislative parties are more interested (or willing) to fund renovations (as was the case with Wilson Hall, which is now home to the History program, or Duke Hall, home to the School of Art). A focus on “renovation” (and a Dean with no vision) held-up the effort to build the Forbes Center for the Arts. Eventually, the documented needs for a new home for Theatre and Dance, and performance spaces for Music were ready and waiting when the General Assembly presented a $900+ million bond package to build university facilities to Virginia voters. That bond referendum was passed with a 56%+ plurality state-wide (although it lost in Rockingham and Augusta counties), and JMU received nearly $100 million to build the Forbes Center and other academic projects on campus. The Forbes Ctr. planning was based on meeting academic needs, which was a 180 degree change from Carrier’s original vision, which was to be something akin of the Patriot Ctr. On GMU’s campus, which is used as a venue to host traveling road-shows. Scheduling at the Forbes is 100% under the control of the JMU academic fine art programs and the College of Visual and Perfoming Arts.
Building the new addition to the COB wasn’t the beneficiary of a state-wide bond referendum, so had to weave the long way through the legislature process. It also involved an institutional promise/commitment to share part of the cost via fund-raising.
Which partially answers the last part of your question…demonstrated need through enrollment needs does generally come first, but not always.
The original funding for CISAT (College of Integrated Science and Technology) was a magic act created by Ron Carrier. He was proposing a glitzy vision of a new way of teaching science and tech to meet the needs of a 21st c. Virginia, and the General Assembly bought it hook-line and sinker. What Ron really wanted was an engineering program, but SCHEV would not approve that idea believing it too duplicative of existing programs at VT, etc. So, CISAT was birthed and funded. For a number of years CISAT was the only major new construction on VA public campuses.
Building the “Rose” library was a tax paid for building. Most of the other buildings near it, like the alumni center and dorms are not.
Couple of last thoughts. The building and renovations/expansions of academic buildings at JMU has been rapid because there was a HUGE pent-up need for instructional space. Most of the need was based on enrollment growth. Around 1996-97 instructional space was so limited JMU was in the process of adopting a computer scheduling model that I equated to squeezing the last drop out of a tooth-paste tube. It was a very difficult time. It was also the time period as Carrier was transitioning out, and LR was getting his feet on the ground.
LR spent a good portion of his 14 years as President correcting Carrier’s building mistakes, dealing with a rapidly growing undergraduate population, establishing a modern administrative reporting structure, and developing a strategic planning process and master plan for the campus and institution as a whole. Hence, Alger inherited a much stronger base on which to build, and has been effective in taking the institution to another level. No doubt Alger benefitted the most by inheriting CK (a LR hire) as his Senior VP of Administration.
The biggest variation on this theme of how auxiliary buildings are funded is the acquisition of the old hospital, which is now the “Student” center, admissions, Graduate School, etc. There’s little doubt in my mind Sentara was an ally in getting the Assembly to pony up $40 million to buy the old hospital property for JMU. Sentara used the money to build their new hospital campus in the county, and JMU received much needed space for the university. Then funds for renovations etc. came into play to complete the integration of the hospital properties for university use.
There are a few academic projects yet to be built, but the pace and scale of these projects will be smaller (Carrier Library excluded). Front campus may see construction on the corner of Grace and Main Street (the site of the existing Anthony-Seeger which will be razed), and of course new or replacement dorms. The halcyon days of JMU construction between 1995-2025 will slow….then again, about that time BFS will be ready for expansion!
