Tara McMahonAll of the university’s construction projects will finish on time despite the coming budget cuts, according to associate vice president for facilities administration Joe Rubertone.
“What we’re doing with construction is separately funded.so those dollars and cents are there,” Rubertone said.
Rubertone said that when a winning construction bid is chosen for a large project, the university generally borrows all the money it needs to pay for it.
Although construction will be unaffected, the facilities budget is likely to be cut. The biggest reductions will likely be in grounds keeping functions such as fertilization, weed control and irrigation.
The facilities department will also look to students for help in saving money.
“We need to certainly look at energy and maybe get some help from the students in the residence halls with energy conservation and a few things like that,” Rubertone said. Soon there will likely be an educational program aimed at getting students to reduce energy use and increase sustainability in the dorms.
Rubertone said the east addition to the cafeteria will be ready to open next semester, as will the graduate school at the North Haven campus. The York Hill campus and parking garage will open for the fall semester of 2009, and the York Hill student center will be ready for spring of 2010.
