Projects aid fund shortage

 
Southern University has over 20 project planned for the Southern University at Baton Rouge with a projected cost of $932 million.​
The plans underway are anticipated to be finished within the next 20-30 years.
Some of the projects are already completed.​
Endas Vincent, system director of the Office of Facilities Planning, said by next year, the university will see a lot of construction on the Baton Rouge campus.
“We don’t have the money to do them all at one time, so we’re doing them one at a time,” said Vincent.
The most recent improvement project completed was the installation of the light-emitting diodes (LED) lighting around campus.  Vincent said that the LED lighting project cost was roughly $1.2 million.
Vincent stated that the lighting project was funded by the energy stimulus Pres. Obama signed in February 2009. 
According to the website recovery.gov, which is the United States government official website that provides easy access to data related to Recovery Act spending and allows for the reporting of potential fraud, waste and abuse, stated that the act provided $787 billion for funding of federal contracts, grant and loans.
Vincent said with SU’s utilities a $6 million expenditure, the LED lights efficiency will lower utility costs.
According to Vincent, with the installation of the LED lights, SU will now be using 80 percent less electricity. 
With the addition of T.H. Harris Hall, Vincent said the student Financial Aid Office, a welcoming center, retention program and a student orientation center will be moving to the new addition.  Vincent said those renovations were estimated to cost $3.2 million.
The new intramural sports recreation center, which was estimated at $6.1million, is scheduled to be completed by Dec. 2012 Vincent said.
The chilled water piping project, which was funded by the state with a estimated cost of $4.9 million, should be completed by May 2012.  The chilled water-piping project seeks to install new piping for all buildings on campus for the purpose of heating and cooling the buildings.
Another project, which is to be built on the historic region of the campus, is the upcoming of a Cultural Center and Ampitheatre.
The Cultural center will be located behind the Southern University Museum of Art building and its estimated cost is $3.1 million.  Vincent said that the building will take about one year to build and it should be finished by the summer of 2013.
According to Vincent the cultural building is designed to be a part of SUMA with high tech classes.
Currently, the theatre and lobby in Frank Hayden Hall is being renovated to become a plaza and to address American Disabilities Act accessibility.
“Right now we’re estimating we’re going to need $900,000 for the commuter parking lot,” said Vincent.  He said that the commuter parking lot needs many repairsto address drainage and sewage and the replacement of pavement in the entire parking lot.
With all the project planning SU has planned, the funds that these ​​projects will have to be funded.
Funding is expected to be university generated and federal funding.​
Although students are impressed with the new additions and the new construction on campus, they still agree to have other project prioritized more than others.
Cortez Scott a senior engineering major from Dallas said that the main road on campus, which is also known as the ‘strip’ on campus should be updated soon.
“I would really want that before I graduate,” Scott said.
Scott also said that the main road needs some speed bumps to control the speeding.
William Belisle a senior business management major said it would be nice to see the lake on campus clean and for the fountains back in and running.
“When you look at it, you don’t want to look at it ugly,” said Belisle.
The Student Government Association has taken action in acquiring a grant to fund Lake Kernan’s renovations and improvements.