Washburn University Board of Regents
SUBJECT: Art and Mulvane authorization to bid construction
DESCRIPTION:
In July 2001 the Regents approved the architects selection for a new Art Building and Mulvane renovation. The site was identified at the December 2001 Board meeting. During the last two years, the plans have been developed, finalized and approved and intensive fundraising has taken place.
The creation of a new Art Building of approximately 20,000 gross sq. ft., the renovation of the Mulvane, and the associated changes within the Mulvane and Garvey are estimated to cost $4.25 million - $4million from fundraising and $250,000 from bond funds. The project includes the following priorities:
Mulvane Art Museum:
Three galleries on the ground floor for special and new acquisitions exhibits
A second floor gallery for the Mulvane Permanent Collection
Art Education classrooms and Children's Art Museum
An easily-accessible loading dock to receive art pieces
A large elevator to transport art pieces between floors
Expanded administrative and curatorial office space
Enlarged museum shop on the ground floor
Twenty-four hour monitored surveillance system
Workshop for gallery preparation, conservation and storage
Art Department:
Appropriate studios for Art History, Drawing, Design, Painting, Multi-media classroom, Photography, Photography Dark Room, Ceramics, Sculpture, Printmaking, and Digital Arts
Appropriate equipment for each classroom
Adequate ventilation
Good lighting and use of natural light
Environmentally safe waste disposal
Electronic infrastructure for all classrooms
Appropriate computer and projection technology
On-site studios for faculty and staff
Studios with flexible spaces to accommodate multi-media or other art forms
Covered, outdoor workshops for ceramics and sculpture
Fundraising:
This project has the most ambitious fundraising goal of any university project to date. The fundraising goal is $4 million. Fundraising has been very successful in raising nearly $3.5 million for Art related projects. $2 million has been raised for programs including scholarships and named professorships. Approximately $1.5 million has been raised for the capital projects leaving an unfilled capital project goal of $2.5 million. The recent slow down in the economy has chilled capital fundraising for this project although both the administration and WEA remain optimistic about long-term prospects for raising the additional $2.5 million within a 3-5 year time frame.
Architectural plans for both Art and Mulvane have been completed for more than a year. It is necessary to act on those plans while they are new enough to be refreshed by a minor review. To wait longer will subject the plans to substantial changes due to differences in materials, building techniques, and code changes. It is time to move the plans forward to construction
RECOMMENDATION: President Farley recommends that the Board of Regents approve the use of $2.5 million from university reserves and to allow the solicitation of bids on the Living Learning Center Project. WEA will be requested to continue $2.5 million in fundraising which will be earmarked for program improvements.
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(date) Jerry B. Farley, President