Updated Projects

[coachacola]

Board of Regents have approved these projects at Lamar: Lamar
University Program Year Total Project Cost Source of Funding Art Building Renovation 2014 $ 8,820,627 Gift Carl Parker Renovation 2012 $ 1,500,000 HEAF New Facilities Management Complex 2013 $ 1,000,000 HEAF New Softball Field 2012 $ 5,000,000 Gift Speech and Hearing Renovation and Addition 2016 $ 11,926,385 Gift Total: $ 28,247,012

[CardAmbassador]

nice to see something get done, but its a far cry from what needs to be done to update Lamar's campus.

[JJWooten]

nice to see something get done, but its a far cry from what needs to be done to update Lamar's campus.


They key is to build new, and stop upgrading. If you look at SFA's student center and rec center, which were newly built, they are VERY impressive. If you look at Sam's rec center and student center, which were only renovated and added onto, then you can see where we're falling behind on that side. When you renovate, things tend to look bad because they don't match parts and pieces. I'm not one to believe in a "tear it down model," but sometimes that needs to happen in order to grow as a University

[CardAmbassador]

nice to see something get done, but its a far cry from what needs to be done to update Lamar's campus.


They key is to build new, and stop upgrading. If you look at SFA's student center and rec center, which were newly built, they are VERY impressive. If you look at Sam's rec center and student center, which were only renovated and added onto, then you can see where we're falling behind on that side. When you renovate, things tend to look bad because they don't match parts and pieces. I'm not one to believe in a "tear it down model," but sometimes that needs to happen in order to grow as a University


very true, we're putting some expensive bandaids on things at LU. The Rec center is beautiful. But some of the building are just too small and some are inadequate for other reasons. The Plummer administration building is the best example, instead of renovation it needs a complete rebuild. It's a huge waste IMO.

[JJWooten]

Our rec center is a good example of an unappealing improvement. The gym and pool are beautiful, but it's attached to old basketball courts, indoor tracks, and racquetball rooms. There's one building at Sam (AB3), which has gone from a Men's gymnasium in 1965 to housing the dance and ROTC program and now it houses the nursing program.

However, I will say this, that EVENTUALLY SHSU has realized that the programs in there need legitimate buildings. Dance just recently got their performing arts center and nursing is rumored to be getting a new program, but it seems like we may never get rid of this old building, we just keep renovating it for a new program.

[cardinal]

Simmons did a lot of good but there are a lot of not so good things going on. Compare Southwest Texas State from the 80's to Lamar of the 80's. Now compare them present day. A lot of severe damage was done to LU in the 80's and 90's that really hurt in a major way. In he 80's fraternities and sororities were chastised at LU and the fraternities were run off campus (this at a school in desperate need of a campus life). Football was canceled (a HUGE mistake) and the enrollment declined and the quality of the buildings deteriorated. Apparently a lot has been done to recruit African Americans and international (India) students. And before I get called a racist again, I do not have a problem with that. However, something needs to be done to recruit white students as well. Something needs to be done to get those students to stay on campus and get involved. Something needs to be done to make kids actually want to go to Lamar. There are hundreds of kids from West Brook and Kelly that are going off to school (McNeese, SFA, SHSU, Texas State, Texas Tech, ATM, UT, LSU). Why aren't more of those kids choosing Lamar? I don't think it is because they won't get a great education there.

[Cplatt]

5 millon a softball field?Thats going to be one hell of a stadium which is good. I think Lamar is def heading in the right direction with athletic upgrades. Its a great Engineering school so i think money needs to be spent there as well.
Cplatt

[CardAmbassador]

Simmons did a lot of good but there are a lot of not so good things going on. Compare Southwest Texas State from the 80's to Lamar of the 80's. Now compare them present day. A lot of severe damage was done to LU in the 80's and 90's that really hurt in a major way. In he 80's fraternities and sororities were chastised at LU and the fraternities were run off campus (this at a school in desperate need of a campus life). Football was canceled (a HUGE mistake) and the enrollment declined and the quality of the buildings deteriorated. Apparently a lot has been done to recruit African Americans and international (India) students. And before I get called a racist again, I do not have a problem with that. However, something needs to be done to recruit white students as well. Something needs to be done to get those students to stay on campus and get involved. Something needs to be done to make kids actually want to go to Lamar. There are hundreds of kids from West Brook and Kelly that are going off to school (McNeese, SFA, SHSU, Texas State, Texas Tech, ATM, UT, LSU). Why aren't more of those kids choosing Lamar? I don't think it is because they won't get a great education there.


There has been no effort to recruit specific minorities because there have been no real efforts to recruit outside of local TV ads. :-\

We've already went over this topic before, there needs to be more to do around campus in particular to attract students.

[Cplatt]

Any updates on the project list, anything get added or subtracted from it. Have they started the softball field yet? I also agree on tearing things down and rebuild. Lamar has a nice campus layout, now it needs to add some quality infrastructure.
Cplatt