Renderings for North Residential Neighborhood revealed at Board of Trustees meeting

<p>Senior Advisor to the President and Ball State’s Liaison to Muncie Community Schools (MCS), Marilyn Buck, said enrollment for the 2018-19 school year is just under 5,100 students currently. <strong>Allie Kirkman, DN File</strong></p>

Senior Advisor to the President and Ball State’s Liaison to Muncie Community Schools (MCS), Marilyn Buck, said enrollment for the 2018-19 school year is just under 5,100 students currently. Allie Kirkman, DN File

After approving the North Residential Neighborhood in their summer meeting on July 21, the Ball State Board of Trustees unveiled the renderings for the future residence hall during their first meeting of the academic year Friday. 

The residence hall will share a similar design to Johnson Halls East and West, featuring six semi-private bathrooms per floor, kitchenettes and study lounges, as well as a makerspace for STEM students.

“This is really celebrating the sciences, that’s really the genesis of the whole building theme,” said principal for Solomon Cordwell Buenz and project committee member Jim Curtin. 

RELATED: Board of Trustees approves North Residential Neighborhood, new departments

In addition to revealing the renderings for the residence hall, the board’s projects committee presented the potential design for the new dining facility as a part of the first phase of the North Residential Neighborhood. 

The facility will seat 775 patrons, and there will be seven micro-restaurants featured in the dining hall. With one of those, “likely being a Starbucks,” said Rob Reis, member of the project committee and design director at Hanbury. However, the university has not signed any contracts to guarantee a franchise in the facility. 

Other points from the meeting:

  • 350 Ball State staff and faculty took part in United Way’s Day of Action. 
  • President Geoffrey S. Mearns addressed his public forums that will take place throughout Muncie in partnership with The Star Press. The first forum will take place at 6 p.m., Wednesday at Muncie Community Schools Southside Middle School Auditorium. The discussion will cover neighborhoods and education. 
  • The board approved the naming of the music lounge in the Student Center after alumni. The room will now be named: The Dr. Thomas and Patricia Richards Ray Music Lounge.
  • Kay Bales, vice president for student affairs and enrollment services, announced the four-year graduation rate passed its strategic goal of 50 percent this past year. The four-year graduation rate is currently 53.6 percent. 
  • The board announced changes for the 2018 Calendar Year Health Care Plans. Now, the faculty prescription provider will be CVS Caremark. In addition, there will be increases in medical and healthcare premiums. The increases range from 2.9 to 8 percent. 

The next Board of Trustees meeting will be Dec. 15. 

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