A meeting of the Physical Facilities Committee of the Board of Trustees convened at 9:21 a.m. on Friday, August 6, 2021, on the Hammond, Indiana, campus of Purdue University Northwest. The meeting was held in Alumni Hall located within the Student Union and Library Building. Everyone in the room was wearing a mask amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

All committee members were present in person: Gary Lehman, chair; Sonny Beck; Theresa Carter; Mark Gee; and Michael Klipsch. Other trustees present were: Michael Berghoff; JoAnn Brouillette; Vanessa Castagna; and Malcolm DeKryger.

Officers and administrators in attendance were: Mitch Daniels, president; Jay Akridge, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity; Chris Ruhl, chief financial officer and treasurer; Jim Almond, senior vice president, assistant treasurer, and assistant secretary; Steve Schultz, general counsel; Janice Indrutz, corporate secretary and senior executive assistant to the Board; Ron Elsenbaumer, chancellor of Purdue University Fort Wayne; and Tom Keon, chancellor, Purdue University Northwest.

I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Physical Facilities Committee voted unanimously to approve the minutes of public meetings convened on February 5, 2021, March 3, 2021, and July 7, 2021, and minutes of an executive session convened on April 5, 2021.

II. APPROVAL TO PLAN, FINANCE, CONSTRUCT AND AWARD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS FOR REPAIR AND REHABILITATION PROJECTS

Mr. Michael Cline, senior vice president for administrative operations, requested approval to plan, finance, construct and award construction contracts for two repair and rehabilitation projects. He explained that the first project, Biochemistry Building Main Electrical Distribution Replacement, would replace the electrical distribution system in the Biochemistry Building, which was built in 1937. He informed the Committee that the building’s last electrical upgrades of this scale were done in 1981, and he estimated the total cost of the project at $2,300,000, with construction taking place from May 2022 through August 2023. Mr. Cline outlined the second project as the Whistler Hall of Agricultural Research Mechanical Systems Replacement, which would include replacing 100 exhaust fans with a new, central system. He said the building was built in 1980, and its heating, cooling, and ventilation systems were past their useful lives. Mr. Cline estimated the cost of the project at $12,500,000, with construction to be completed from April 2022 through October 2023. He noted that the Whistler project would require full Board approval, while the Biochemistry project would only require Committee approval.

Trustee Lehman expressed his belief that the projects were necessary given the age of the buildings. Trustee Gee remarked that, having done research in both buildings, he was glad to see they would be upgraded. Trustee Beck advised that completing the Whistler project all at once was more economical than completing it in phases. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Physical Facilities Committee voted unanimously to approve the Biochemistry Building Main Electrical Distribution Replacement project and recommend full Board approval of the Whistler Hall of Agricultural Research Mechanical Systems Replacement project. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.

III. APPROVAL TO PLAN, FINANCE, CONSTRUCT AND AWARD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS FOR SCHLEMAN HALL, STEWART CENTER, AND RELATED RENOVATIONS

Mr. Cline requested approval to plan, finance, construct and award construction contracts for Schleman Hall, Stewart Center, and related renovations. He reminded the Board that it had approved construction of a new Data Science Building at its meeting on December 6, 2019, but, he said, the project had been put on hold in April 2020. He informed the Committee that a study undertaken since then had concluded that the Data Science program could be accommodated through a complete renovation of Schleman Hall. He further explained that the student services provided in Schleman Hall could be relocated to Stewart Center, which would also be renovated and modernized for this purpose, and renovations would also be needed to spaces in the Purdue Memorial Union, Hicks Undergraduate Library, and Recitation Building to fully relocate the affected programs and staff. Mr. Cline pointed out that, by renovating existing buildings to address program needs, the university would avoid increased operating costs associated with an additional new building, and the project would result in more efficient use of existing space. Mr. Cline estimated the total cost of the project at $52,800,000, with construction from April 2022 through May 2024.

Trustee Klipsch remarked that he was very excited about the project. He observed that the university would take an asset which was not being used very efficiently and turn it into a data center, which, he said, could be done more quickly than constructing a new building, while most of the student-facing services would be consolidated into Stewart Center to improve the student experience. Trustee Klipsch expressed his belief that this plan was better than the original plan for roughly the same cost, and he added that Stewart Center had not changed since he was a student. Trustee Beck stated that the site which was to have been used for construction of the new Data Science Building could now be reserved for future needs. President Daniels affirmed that Stewart Center was underutilized and said moving the student-facing services there would be an ideal step forward in terms of convenience for students. Provost Akridge agreed and said Stewart Center would become an “exciting front door” for the university because it would be one of the first stops that prospective students and their parents would make, and, he said, Data Science would move into a contemporary space.

Trustee Lehman reminded everyone that Stewart Center was named for R.B. Stewart, who had served as treasurer from 1945-1961, and Schleman Hall was named for Helen Schleman, who served as the dean of women from 1947-1968, and he expressed his belief that both would be very pleased with how their buildings would be repurposed and modernized.

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Physical Facilities Committee voted unanimously to approve the project to plan, finance, construct and award construction contracts for Schleman Hall, Stewart Center, and related renovations. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.

IV. ADJOURNMENT

By consent, the meeting adjourned at 9:32 a.m.