Regents approve facilities policy tweaks, $120M architecture program and Rock Chalk Park land transfer

Director Briscoe presented amendments to the board's Facilities Policy that staff said will clarify procurement and funding treatment for large projects, explicitly reference statutes authorizing multiple delivery methods, and count the Educational Building Fund toward the maintenance assessment. Briscoe highlighted a prior mid‑2021 policy establishing the Facilities Capital Renewal Initiative and said several edits are intended to streamline campus project planning.

On capital projects, Jeff DeWitt presented a program statement for a phased School of Architecture project with a $120,000,000 program budget. He said the first phase would be a new building funded with $60,000,000 in bonds if approved, with staged renovations of two existing buildings afterward. DeWitt said funding sources would include donor funds, bonds, and revenues generated by the school, and noted a $10,000,000 state match included in the budget request. The board moved, seconded and approved the program request.

The board also approved a land‑transfer request to move Rock Chalk Park from the KU endowment to university ownership. DeWitt described the facility and said athletics would continue to pay debt service; the board approved the transfer by voice vote with Chair Ice recorded as abstaining on that item. Multiple other consent and appropriation language items related to bonding and property sales were presented on first read.

Several motions on policy amendments and capital items were approved by voice votes; no roll‑call tallies were recorded in the minutes provided.