The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-07-29
BUILDING PLAN
WORRIES BOARD
To Make Decision About Type
Of Structure For 'U' De.
partment Soon

Decision as to the type of building
to be constructed at the state univer-
sity to house its liberal arts depart
ment will be made in the near flu
,ture by the state board of admins
tfation,, it was indicated here today.
It is no secret that the board was
contemplating a structure to cost
$350,00O despite the fact that the
Legislature had appropriated only
) $225,0OO for that purpose. The idea
of the board, and members say it was
reinforced by talks with members of
the house and senate appropriation
ton of q building which would cost
$3.50, 900 to complete. Work would be
begun next year and the structure
would be uncompleted when the leg
islaturc met in 1929. The legisla-
ture then would be asked to make an
appropriation sufficient to complete
the building on q $350,000 basis as
planned.
When the right Of the board to
make contracts binding the legisla-
ture to make appropriations was
challenged recently in a case in
volving the purchase of land for the
penitentiary here, however, the board
members weren't so sure what to do
in the case Of the liberal arts build
ing at the university SO they sent
out letter to members of the APP
preparation committees of the house
and senate members of the state
Audget board asking for advice.
same have failed to reply and the
( III oka6f the others have not yet
bee 1Abulated. Upon the result will
depend the decision of the board as
to the size Of the new structure at
the university.
Members of the board are frank to
admit that they would prefer to build
a $35O,00O building, believing it to
be the better policy. That amount
of money would be sufficient to con-
struct a building which would har-
monte with the Projected plans for
the university campus, they say,
whereas a building costing only
$225,00O would be, at best, an archi-
tectural mistake.
The situation, as presented by the
board in letters to legislators and
members Of the budget board, fol-
lows:
"Thc board of administration has
now under consideration the ques-
tiOn of the erection of the liberal
as provided for by appropriation of
$225.ooo made BY the last legislative
Eession. Up to this time it has been
the thought of the board that the
building. Of which plans were sub
Mitted to the members of the APP
preparations committee and which
was estimated to cost approximately
$35O,OO0, might be undertaken on the
presumption that such building was
the type contemplated by the legis-
lative appropriations committees
when the matter was under discus
sion last winter.
Beard Virtually Approved Plans
I'm other words, Il Is our under
standing that the budget board and
the appropriation committees of both
houses virtually approved the type of
building presented by the university
authorities, which building was es-
timated to cost $35O,00O, and that the
appropriation was reduced from that
figure to $226,O0O to accommodate
the limited finances available during
this biennium, but with no thought
of decreasing the building to that
size. The opinion Of the university
authorities and the board is that
this type Of building cannot be econ
Omically constructed in two separate
unitsso wings.
1.-THE policy of state boards in the
past has been to exercise reasonable
discretion with regard to the intent
Of the legislature in the undertaking
of public buildings for which COM
plete appropriations could not be
made in one single legislative ses-
sion on account Of financial limita-
tions Of the state. Since the liberal
arts college is and always doubtless
will be the largest college in the uni
versity organization we feel that this
building should be the central unit
Of the university, and that the build
ing undertaken should be in keeping
with the future dignity and size of
the institution.
Asks Advice
Would you advise the board to un-
dertake this building of which you
examined plans during the session,
looking to the next legislative SEES
sion to make the balance Of the ap-
preparation necessary to complete it,
or would you advise that the board
plan necessarily inadequate build
ing, MOI in keeping with the future
developments Of. ~ institution but
thht would keep strictly within the
limits of The 1926. 900 appropriation
"Since the board will be compelled
to make an early decision on this
matter, and since its decision will be
governed largely by the answer re-
ceived from this communication
which we are addressing to all men,
hers Of the 1928 budget board, we
would appreciate an early reply"