Rutgers trustees consent to HELIX H3 cost adjustments and approve Jamieson residence-hall renaming

At the trustees meeting Kimberly Lewis, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, presented two consent items and asked for trustee consent to forward them to the Board of Governors. The first concerned HELIX H3, the third building in the New Jersey Health and Life Science Exchange: housing-space project costs are increasing from $35,700,000 to $39,900,000 and associated tax credits will rise; the research-floor cost was reported to fall slightly. Lewis said the net change in total project cost is roughly $4,000,000. "So there have been slight price changes," she told the board while asking for consent to updated debt plans.

A trustee moved, another seconded, and the chair called the voice vote; the motion was approved. The transcript records multiple "Aye" responses and no recorded opposition or roll-call tally.

The second consent item was a donor-requested renaming of the Jamieson Residence Hall. Lewis said the previously approved name (Evans Scholars Fireman Family Scholarship House) should be amended to "NJSGA Evans Scholars Liberty National Scholarship House" to reflect partnership funding from Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City. Trustees moved and seconded the resolution and approved it by voice vote.

Earlier in the meeting trustees also discussed board minutes edits and agreed to table a vote on minute approval until the June meeting so written revisions can be circulated. No detailed vote tallies were recorded in the transcript for these items.