<strong>Activity Center construction delayed</strong>

Activity Center construction may be delayed until July or August due to rising construction costs.

“Steel prices have gone out the roof, and right now we’re in a competitive construction industry,” said Robert Lovitt, senior vice president for business affairs. “We’re working our best and looking at alternatives to cut costs and get more.”

Construction costs have risen approximately $500,000 and the project budget is set at $3.4 million. The quality of student services in the Activity Center won’t suffer, Lovitt said. Instead the completion of the athletic offices may be further delayed.

But finalization of the design and price won’t occur until the university receives the bids, which may not occur until July, Lovitt said.

The expected completion date for the addition was 2005 spring commencement, but that date is now in question.

“It’ll be real tight. It’s close to being a 12-month project, but we’ll try,” Lovitt said. “We are trying to get the most that we can for the students’ money.”

<strong>Waterview changesrequirements</strong>

Requirements to live in the Waterview Park apartments have changed for fall 2004 and spring 2005.

Students – graduate and undergraduate – must now only be enrolled for three credit hours to live in the apartments, which is down from six and nine credit hours, respectively.

Also, faculty and staff may now live in the apartments. They are also eligible to sign up for a two-year lease agreement, said Kim Winkler, assistant dean of students.

The changes were made due to the low number of applications for fall, Winkler said. The new requirements could change depending on the number of applications next year, Winkler added.

Another change will be the requirements to rent a two-bedroom apartment. Previously, a single student could only lease a two-bedroom apartment if they were living with spouse and/or children. Now, one student can be the only leaseholder on a two-bedroom apartment, Winkler said.

<strong>Student leaders recognized</strong>

Student leadership nominees gathered at the UTD Leadership Banquet April 23, bringing together the cream of the campus crop in student leaders.

Patricia Atchley, director of student development, said the efforts put forth this year by the student leaders were exemplary.

“We tried to increase the number of awards because there are so many students that are eligible and outstanding,” Atchley said.

The leadership awards presented were: Golden Comet Award, SGA; Adviser of the Year, Judi Hensley; Student Life Service Award, Alex de la Garza; Community Service Award, Faisal Chaudhry; Student Organizational Leader of the Year, Chea-Chia Teng; Student Organization of the Year, Alpha Phi Omega and Student Leader of the Year, Faisal Chaudhry.