Has anyone heard when MSU is going to begin using that $1 billion+ worth of donations? And are there any ideas as to what kinds of things they will be building?
Honestly, I don't think they will be using that billion any time in the near future. From my understanding, it's being held on to and the interest gained on it is what's being spent.
Well evan at that, they should be getting at least $50 million per year interest, that's one good size project per year. That money was donated for new buildings and major improvements, wasn't it?
At Friday's Board of Trustees meeting there will be a proposal for authorization to plan for the replacement of Morrill Hall. Also for a Plant Science expansion.
Here is a picture of Morrill Hall, which is the only structures on campus with a partially wooden frame:
Morrill Hall was built in 1900 and served as the original women's dormitory on campus. The building was also referred to as the 'coop.' It is the only building on campus with a partially wooden frame and is badly in need of preservation. This building was named after the Senator from Vermont that passed the act in 1862 which established the national land grant system, named the Morrill Act after him, seven years after Michigan created the first such institution of its own accord. Today, Morrill Hall houses several departments, including the Departments of History, English and Religious Studies.
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. It really has a lot of history, and the interior really takes you back with the big wood beams everywhere. I think MSU could spend a little more money than a new building and bring this building up to date. I think they have been worried about how strong the building is.
It wasn't that long ago that they tried to demolish it siting the wood frame, and then that fizzled out. Apparently, some floors are sagging, and I've been waiting to hear them bring back up the demolition talk, again. I wonder if they are for real, this time? I'd hate to see it go.
On Friday, the university's Board of Trustees officially started the process that will end in the 108-year-old building's demolition. They authorized university officials to plan for a new space - either a new building or renovation of an existing building - to house Morrill Hall's current occupants. … That maintenance, about $4 million worth, "just seems to be not a good investment for something that's not going to last a decade," he said. … In what he called a "wild guess," Poston said the building would likely not be demolished until 2012. … A preliminary cost estimate put the price of a replacement at $36 million.
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Has anyone heard when MSU is going to begin using that $1 billion+ worth of donations? And are there any ideas as to what kinds of things they will be building?
Here is a picture of Morrill Hall, which is the only structures on campus with a partially wooden frame:
Sources: MSU Board of Trustees 9/12/08 Agenda and MSU Anthropology