Regents add capital projects to FY26‑27 list and approve Southern University’s 500‑bed housing plan

The Board of Regents approved additions to its fiscal‑year 2026–27 capital outlay recommendations and granted final approval to Southern University’s phase‑one student housing project, while limiting Grambling State University’s projects to inclusion in House Bill 2 pending financing details.

What the board approved: Senior staff recommended eight additions to the capital outlay submissions — four from the LSU system (a roughly 270‑space parking garage adjacent to a downtown Alexandria health sciences campus, a 40,000‑square‑foot construction and engineering student hall, and two electrical deferred‑maintenance projects) and four from Grambling State University (a campus dining/student union estimated at $25 million, a 120‑bed hotel and conference center, a perimeter security fence and deferred‑maintenance work). The Grambling projects were approved for inclusion in House Bill 2 only; final approval will return to the UL system and Board after financing details are finalized.

Southern University housing: The board gave senior staff’s recommendation final approval for phase one of Southern University & A&M College’s new student housing: a four‑story, ~500‑bed facility to be constructed under a lease/leaseback with the university foundation, financed through the Louisiana Public Facilities Authority. Staff estimated construction and design costs of about $43 million and total issuance of roughly $53–55 million, citing a pro forma coverage ratio of 1.07 and a pledge of general revenues as backstop if revenues fall short. The project must still clear the state Bond Commission as a final step.

What this means: The capital additions put several large projects into the legislative appropriation pipeline; Grambling’s hotel/conference center and other items will require finalized loan terms before construction can proceed. Southern’s housing will expand first‑ and second‑year capacity and is targeted to open for fall 2027 if bonding and procurement timelines hold.