MTU To Add $1M Welcome Center

An artists rendering of the planned John Edgar McAllister Welcome Center at the Memorial Union Building. The current Peninsula Room (in pink) will be renovated and an addition (in blue) will be built.

HOUGHTON (WWJ) Michigan Technological University will honor alumnus and longtime supporter John Edgar McAllister by building a new Welcome Center named for him to introduce future students and their families to the campus.

Michigan Techs Board of Control at its regular meeting Friday approved the $998,000 project, to be funded entirely by donors, with the majority coming from the John Edgar McAllister Trust.

The John Edgar McAllister Welcome Center will consist of a 3,000 square foot addition and remodeling of another 1,500 square feet of the Memorial Union Building.

The Welcome Center, located in the heart of campus, will double daily visitor capacity and convey the energy and excitement of the Michigan Tech experience in a warm and welcoming atmosphere, said Les Cook, vice president for student affairs and advancement.

The space currently used by the Admissions Office for campus visitors only seats 40 and has limited parking. Over the past year, the board heard, the number of visitors often exceeded the space available.

The board also approved residence hall room and board and apartment rental rates for the 2014-2015 academic year. Room and board for a standard double occupancy room with the gold (median) meal plan in Wadsworth Hall will increase $279 or 2.97 percent. Standard (double occupancy) rooms in Douglass Houghton and McNair Halls will increase by $341 or 3.73 percent. Hillside Place Apartments residents will see an increase of $260 to $280, just under a 3 percent increase.

Student residents and/or families renting Daniell Heights Apartments will pay $15 more per month for one- or two-bedroom apartments and $20 more for a three-bedroom apartment.

The Board approved a proposal to move forward with an agreement with Julien Properties to renovate and manage Daniell Heights. Under the agreement, Michigan Tech will set baseline rents for the apartments and contract with students for their rental. The university will continue to own the property, which the property management company will maintain.

More at http://www.mtu.edu.

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MTU To Add $1M Welcome Center