The first step in meeting Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self’s request for better student-athlete housing will begin this summer with the renovation of Tower A at Jayhawker Towers.

Though the renovation had been scheduled to begin in 2009, the $8.1 million worth of work will begin this summer after the athletics and student housing department met. The tower will re-open in August 2009. Renovation of Tower B will start soon after that.

The $8.1 million will be funded through state-issued bonds and then repaid by higher fees charged to students living in the new building.

For more on this story, pick up a copy of Saturday’s Journal-World.