Judgment of Compliance

Narrative

Sam Houston State University has adequate physical resources to support the mission of SHSU as well as the scope of its programs and services. The Physical Plant, located within the division of Finance and Operations, works effectively and efficiently to provide an environment conducive to learning, research, and service [1] [2]. In addition, the Office of Physical Plant is working with administrators and staff in other divisions as SHSU prepares for future growth.

The Campus
The campus is composed of five colleges: Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Education, and Humanities and Social Sciences. In the fall of 2007, the SHSU campus contained 225 buildings encompassing over 3,576,000 gross square feet of space. The Office of Physical Plant maintains an inventory of all current buildings [3] [4].

The total acreage of the University is about 2,373 acres of which 272 acres are considered improved and maintainable. While most of the buildings are located on the main campus, SHSU also has an Observatory facility (2 acres) north of the campus off State Highway 19; the Gibbs ranch (1,584 acres) north of the campus off of State Highway 75; an Agricultural, Sports, and Educational Center (33 acres) off of College Farm Road and bordering along the Interstate 45 North access road; the Fish Hatchery Field Station (247 acres) off of Fish Hatchery Road on the northern edge of the city limits; a 345-acre camp off Highway 19; and an 18-hole golf course (157 acres) along Interstate 45 South across from the Agricultural Center.

SHSU had a total of 1,009,080 assignable square feet of Educational and General (E&G) space in the fall of 2006. E&G space includes teaching, library, research, office and support. Based on record growth, a space deficit of 328,909 assignable square feet (ASF) was projected in the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Fall 2006 Space Model [5]. The University is presently constructing a new academic classroom and office building which will lower the deficit by approximately 86,837 ASF. In addition, a new performing arts building, presently in design, will reduce the deficit another estimated 95,453 ASF.

Residence Life
Sam Houston State University has 8 residence halls, 20 small houses, and one apartment complex. These combined facilities have a capacity of 3,293 students. Included in these facilities are a house reserved for Honors students and two houses reserved for the Bearkat Learning Community, a freshman residential learning community [6]. All halls and houses are provided security through a variety of means. Security measures include, but are not limited to, single-entry card access, surveillance cameras, and University Police patrols. All facilities receive 24-hour maintenance coverage and are inspected and repaired on a continual basis. Most maintenance is handled by an in-house 12-person team; however, occasional assistance is provided by the University’s Physical Plant personnel or outside contractors. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant rooms and apartments are available for students requiring special accommodations. Custodial services for the facilities are provided by a private contractor. Students are encouraged to give feedback regarding their living situation via an annual student housing survey [7] [8].

Recreational Facilities
SHSU operates and maintains a variety of recreational facilities that enhance the educational mission of the institution. It maintains one 150,000 square foot recreation facility comprised of basketball courts, indoor running track, racquetball courts, multipurpose rooms, weight and conditioning rooms, locker-rooms, and an outdoor swimming pool. The University also maintains a 100,000 square foot coliseum used for both recreational and academic purposes. Outdoor recreational facilities include five outdoor multipurpose sport fields, an one-quarter of a mile jogging/running track, two outdoor sand volleyball courts, eight lighted tennis courts, and a 345-acre camp used for outdoor pursuits, new student orientations, student leadership development programs, and other university initiatives. All facilities are ADA compliant and are open to the University population seven days per week throughout the academic school year. Student responses are solicited through electronic and paper surveys every semester to provide input into the decision making process that governs the management of the recreational facilities both on and off campus.

Campus Planning
As a part of Sam Houston State University’s continuing effort to plan responsibly for campus growth and as mandated by The Texas State University System policy, the University updates its Campus Master Plan every ten years [9] [10] [11]. The current Campus Master Plan, Y2K + 10, was completed in the summer of 2001 and provided the roadmap for projects completed and underway. Since 2001, 42 facilities projects were undertaken, completed, or are in progress at a cost of $210,135,976. Due to the length of time since the last campus master plan was completed and the degree to which it was executed, a new campus master plan has been initiated. The University has enlisted the services of JJR Planning Consultants of Ann Arbor, Michigan, to complete a Campus Master Plan Update by summer 2008. JJR is joined by WHR Architects, E&C Engineers, and Project Cost Resources, all of Houston, Texas, to assist in the effort.

Capital project planning involves the collection of projects originating from both the Campus Master Plan and the Strategic Planning Process. Following the procedures outlined in the campus policy “Building Modifications,” projects are forwarded to the Physical Plant Office of Facilities Planning & Construction where they are retained in a database for future capital planning. Each summer, the projects are reviewed and coordinated with the campus administration resulting in a list of projects approved for submission to the Board of Regents and, if necessary, to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).

Each July, as part of the campus planning process, the University submits a Capital Expenditure Plan (MP1) Summary Report to the THECB [12]. The report includes any proposed new construction greater than $250,000, repair and rehabilitation greater than $1,000,000, information resource projects greater than $1,000,000, and property purchases for any amount that may be submitted within the next five years to the Board of Regents, regardless of funding source. Major construction, renovation, and demolition projects are listed on the MP1 report.

In October of each year, deferred maintenance is reported to the THECB via the Assessment of Deferred Maintenance and Demolition Needs (MP2) Summary Report [13] and the Deferred Maintenance Expenditures (MP4) Summary Report [14]. Deferred maintenance is broken into two components – Critical Deferred Maintenance (CDM) and Deferred Maintenance (DM). CDM is defined as a physical condition of a building or facility that places the occupants at risk of harm or the facility at risk of not fulfilling its functions. DM is described as existing or imminent building maintenance-related deficiency from prior years that needs to be corrected or scheduled for preventive maintenance tasks that were not performed because other tasks funded within the budget were perceived to have a higher priority status. The THECB goal for CDM is zero dollars. SHSU currently has CDM of $1,090,000 consisting of two projects designed to improve the fire alarm systems in the Lee Drain Building and the Library. Completion of these projects will bring the CDM to zero. SHSU has $3,910,000 in DM which is under 5.0% of E&G replacement value, the goal established by the THECB.

At each November Board of Regents meeting, SHSU submits a six-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to the Board for approval [15]. Thereafter, SHSU follows the CIP as a roadmap for construction, renovation, maintenance, and demolition projects for the next year. The CIP is updated annually at a quarterly meeting of the Board of Regents.

The Physical Plant Department oversees the execution of all campus improvement projects and maintains a detailed status record of each project over $5,000 in a report titled the Maintenance, Renovation and Construction (MRC) Report [16]. Approximately $86,768,875 in projects are assigned to project managers for completion in the 2008 MRC program.

Supporting Documentation