Regents briefs

GTA contract approved

The Board of Regents on Thursday put its stamp of approval on a new contract for Kansas University’s graduate teaching assistants.

Regents unanimously approved the contract, which KU and GTA representatives agreed to this summer and teaching assistants approved overwhelmingly Aug. 26.

The contract increases the amount KU spends on GTA salaries by 10 percent for each of the next three years. Base salaries for half-time assistants will be $8,000 for the first year of the contract and $9,000 and $10,000 the next two years.

New KU building gets name, more funding

A proposed building on Kansas University’s Edwards Campus in Overland Park now has a name and $18.2 million more in funding.

The Kansas Board of Regents on Thursday approved $18.2 million in bonds for the second building on the Edwards Campus. Plans call for a 55,000-square-foot building with classrooms, an auditorium and offices. It’s scheduled for completion in 2004.

Regents also voted to name the building Victor and Helen Regnier Hall. Victor Regnier was a Johnson County homebuilder, developer and business owner who died in 2000.

Energy plan expected to save KU millions

Kansas University will get $18.4 million in energy-saving upgrades under a plan approved Thursday by the Kansas Board of Regents.

The program allows KU to contract with Viron Energy Services to provide the improvements, which include programmable thermostats, replacing aging cooling towers and a boiler, installing solar window film and making electrical upgrades.

KU then will repay Viron with the money it saves on energy bills during the next 20 years. Viron has estimated KU will save $1.7 million each year.