The NIC Board of Trustees met Oct. 26 to discuss what to do with the nearly $1.8 million surplus funds provided by the state of Idaho Senate Bill 1207.
The budget for the 2011-2012 school year was already closed, so in order to use the funds, the board agreed to reopen the budget.
Decisions regarding how the money will be spent are scheduled for Wednesday’s board of trustees meeting, which will be in the Lake Coeur d’Alene Room in the SUB.
The only requirement attached to the money was that it must be used for the purpose of compensating for enrollment growth.
“I’m not sure any of this [bill] gives us much guidance in terms of how it’s to be applied,” Trustee Ken Howard said.
The information technology and student services departments proposed a system through auxiliary services that would centralize and simplify the use of cards on campus.
One card would allow students access to the residence hall, sporting events, and their financial aid account, as well as serve as a meal card. The idea that it could be used to take class attendance was also included.
“As I understand it, this is a very common system on many college campuses,” Vice Chair Judy Meyer said.
The system would be housed in the Student Union Building instead of upstairs in Molstead Library, and would be used by staff and faculty as well as students.
The project is estimated to cost $73,000 and could theoretically be completed by August 2012.
There would be ongoing fees in the form of software updates and staffing, but the number of staff required would be fewer than the current decentralized system. Cards are already used to some degree in the residence hall and by two employee populations.
A remodel of the workspace in the Siebert Building was suggested, and a remodel of the second floor of the Hedlund Building. An update for the reader board was proposed, involving LED technology, and a new operating system. The current system is updated with a modem.
The chemistry department requested a new Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) machine. The current NMR machine was donated to NIC by Whitworth University, but is now antiquated to such an extent that NIC can no longer find replacement parts for it.
Other requested uses for the money included design work on PTE facilities, and expansion and centralization of the campus surveillance camera systems.
