1999-09-02

              September 2,1999

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CSB reconstruction provides new look for campus

The Renovated Mary Commons is the most noticeable change to the facilities at CSB. The building houses a new bookstore, mailboxes and administrative and student services offices.

Photo by Michael Murray

By Amy E, Bowen Editorial Staff Writer

Remodeling of the old bookstore and mail room will finish in January, according to facilities management officials. The building's new look is only one of several construction projects at CSB.

The new building will house academic advising, career resources, the registrar, service learning, talent search, ESL and Upward Bound, according to Jim Fredricks, chief physical plant and facilities manager. "Typically, what we like to do is to get input from the people who use the space and try to accommodate them," he said.

The remodeling comes after the renovation of Mary Commons last year, which includes a new mail center and bookstore. Fredricks said the project will cost approximately $800,000-$900,000.

Crews finished the new landscaping in the West Apartments' courtyard last week. New walkways and pavement and lighting improvements highlight the project. "It's been totally revamped," he said. "This is a nice improvement." The cost of the project was minimal because the work was done primarily by CSB/SJU student workers.

Major improvements to the East apartment building, Leutmer, is scheduled to begin this year. The scheduled     improvements     come

after the remodeling of the East Apartments, McDonald and Zierden, this summer. Crews upgraded the interior of the apartments, including putting in new floors and carpet and purchasing new appliances.

These improvements come after facilities management and residential life told students that the East Apartments were being redone last year. "It's unfortunate that things were committed to and then changed," he said. "We are committed to making the changes, but we just need a little more time to finalize things." Facilities management officials project that work of the apartment will be a two-year-project.

CSB is also planning on installing a central chill water air conditioning plant next summer. According to Fredricks, crews will replace some of the older existing air conditioning units and add air conditioning units to buildings that currently do not have them.

Officials are also examining the need to remodel the Benedictine Arts Center. "These are very, very preliminary plans," Fredricks said. The remodeling would enable the auditorium to be used more and provide additional space for the theater department. Construction would begin in a few years, according to Fredricks.

Construction on the sidewalk in front of the Henrita Academic Building (HAB) was visible to the first students arriving to campus late last week.

Photo by Michael Murray

¦ From Issues page 1:

has yet to develop a program that meets the standards of the environmental statement," Free the Planet members, Kelly Rogers and Chris Brueske said.

"Both campuses have been presented with a feasible plan to use wind power as an alternative energy source, but the administrations have not taken significant action on putting the plan into effect," they said.

Free Planet said they are concerned that the school is not implementing the environment standards proposed. Other issues concerning the organization include, "the use of re-use able and recycled materials such as 100% recycled paper for all printing, conservation of water, the reduced use of toxic substances, and the means of production and origin of food prepared by food service."

Large first-year class begins debate over enrollment caps

ByLee-za Ballman Editorial Staff Writer

St. Ben's and St. John's are now welcoming the largest combined enrollment to the schools in their history.

The freshmen class at CSB is the largest the school has ever seen. At SJU, the freshmen class is the largest it has been in eight years and one of the largest in the past 20 years. These large numbers mean they are close to filling CSB/SJU maximum enrollment.

One of the reasons for such high numbers is because "the students are making more informed decisions about coming here," said Mary Milbert, dean of admissions. "They know they will be served with programs, services, and the personal attention that we said we'd give them. They realize that CSB/SJU    serves    our    stu-

dents."

"The numbers will change slightly between now and the tenth day (Sept. 14)," Milbert said. But the preliminary fall freshmen class numbers are 518 at CSB and 477 at SJU. This makes the overall enrollment numbers 1974 for CSB and 1761 for SJU.

As the enrollment numbers keep rising the colleges are in the process of determining their maximum capacity. Milbert said, "We feel that we are close to the maximum number of students that we can accommodate." They project the combined capacity to be 4,000 undergraduate students. Currently, there are 3,735 students.

The freshmen class is still a primarily Minnesota-based group. Combined enrollment of CSB/SJU students from Minnesota is almost 85 percent for both fall, 1999 and fall, 1998.

The colleges are working on enhancing national and international enrollment. This fall there are 17 new entering freshmen who are international, compared to the 11 in fall, 1998.

"Over one third of new entering freshmen are still undecided about their major, but of those having a major/affiliation as of fall tenth day, the most popular majors are management, pre-medicine, biology, nursing, and elementary education, psychology and accounting," said Karen Kuntson, associate director of enrollment and research.

Other statistics of this years freshmen class include an average ACT score of 25 and the first year students usually rank within the 77th percentile of their graduating class, both of which are the same as last year's freshmen class.

The Science Annex located at St. John's University is being used to house students due to housing shortages on the SJU campus. The increased enrollment of first-years contributed to the housing shortage.                                Photo by Michae| Murray