Funding for New TV, Radio Studios Approved

Broadcasting students at Arkansas Tech University are closer to having new studios to work in following action by the Tech Board of Trustees during its regular monthly meeting on Thursday. Board members approved a transfer of funds in the amount of $251,352 to renovate a 2,400-square foot portion of the Energy Center to create new studios for Tech TV, the student television station at Arkansas Tech, and KXRJ 91.9 FM, the student radio station at Arkansas Tech. The funds will be transferred from the unappropriated educational and general fund balance. The studio for Tech TV is currently located in the basement of Crabaugh Hall, while the KXRJ studio is located on the third floor of Witherspoon Hall. The renovations will allow the television and radio stations to be in the same building as the Arkansas Tech Department of Speech, Theatre and Journalism faculty offices and many of the classrooms that the department uses. The Arkansas Tech Department of Speech, Theatre and Journalism was relocated to the Energy Center in January 2010. With the same action, the board also advanced $102,375 from university funds to support the feasibility study and cost estimate phase for a proposed new residence hall and a proposed renovation to Tucker Hall. In September, the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees gave its approval for the university to select an architect to design a new 300-bed residence facility and updates to Tucker Hall so that it could be returned to service as a residence hall. The board approved AMR Architects, Inc., of Little Rock as the architectural firm for the project during its November meeting. In other business on Thursday, the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees approved: *reinstatement of raises for qualifying faculty and unclassified staff that were approved by the Board of Trustees on May 20, 2010, as well as cost of living adjustment and career service payments for qualifying classified employees; *and awarding a $198,800 contract to Stonebridge Construction of Jonesboro to construct an addition to the W.O. Young Building in order to provide needed space for the Arkansas Tech Purchasing Department.

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