Campus to experience lots of change in 2009 The Exponent of Northern State University March 25, 2009 Over the course of the year, many changes will be occurring on the campus of Northern State University. These changes will focus on various aspects of campus life, including residence life, campus dining, and campus recreation. When students come back to NSU in the fall, students taking a science or geography class may notice a difference right away. New science and geo-science laboratories are going to be built in Mewaldt Jensen hall, as well as the Administration Building. The new labs are being funded from several sources, including approval funding from the 2008 South Dakota Legislature that will provide $74.5 million. Other sources of funding will be from Higher Education Facilities Funds, which is money collected from student tuition and fees for the purpose of facilities upgrades, and from student fees. An addition to the Barnett Center is also being planned, and construction may start within the year. The addition is a three-phase project, with the first phase nearly funded. When completed, the new space will be 22,000 square feet. The new facility will eventually hold a new 10,000 square foot weight room (over six times bigger than the current weight room), new classrooms, a new wrestling room, more locker rooms, and office space. The two-story building, being funded completely by donations, will cost anywhere between $2.3 and $3 million. The green near McArthur-Welsh and Kramer Halls where Seymour Hall once stood will also be home to a new recreational area for students. As reported in an earlier issue of the Exponent, the area will include a basketball court and a volleyball court. The cost of the project will be between $30,000 and $35,000. Koch Hazard Architectural firm will be on campus today, March 25 and Thursday, March 26 to assist in the development of a plan for future renovations of the NSU Student Center, dining services, wellness facilities, and other student spaces, as well as development of a plan for future use of Lincoln and Graham Hall spaces. All interested faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend one of the focus groups today, and to attend the all-campus meeting Thursday afternoon when the architects will present information and ideas gained through this initial process. All focus groups and the all-campus meeting will be held in the Centennial Rooms of the Student Center.