Busy news day for Rutgers

by: Jason Springer

Wed Feb 25, 2009 at 10:15:44 PM EST

It was a busy day for Rutgers. The first piece of news will have a long term impact on the growth of the University:

At a time when the economic slowdown has stunted development across New Jersey, Rutgers University officials said today they will spend $500 million over the next three years to expand and upgrade the school's campuses.
The spending, to be financed mostly through the sale of bonds, will fund more than 20 building projects on the Camden, Newark and New Brunswick-Piscataway campuses, said Antonio Calcado, the university's vice president for facilities and capital planning.
The projects include tens of millions of dollars in work on new dormitories, a $25 million Institute for Health Sciences in New Brunswick, a $12 million renovation of the recreation center in Camden and an $18.2 million expansion of the student center in Piscataway.
Some $60 million will go toward deferred maintenance across the university. Another $15 million has been earmarked for classroom improvements.

The University sold this as a jobs program in a tough economy:

"I think it's fair to say we've tried to accelerate as much as possible, because we can be of help in the big picture," he said. "These are good jobs -- union jobs, high wage-paying jobs -- with benefits."

This will benefit the economy with jobs in the short term and give the University a greater capacity in the long term With students living in hotels, more housing is certainly needed. Then reports surfaced about the naming of a new Athletic Director to direct the sports programs:

Tim Pernetti, a CBS College Sports executive and a tight end for Rutgers from 1990-93, is expected to be introduced Thursday as the Scarlet Knights' third director of athletics since 1972. A press conference is scheduled for Thursday at the Paul Robeson Campus Center in Newark, according to two people close to the situation.
The people requested anonymity because Pernetti, 38, still has to be formally approved by the school's Board of Governors when they meet Thursday morning.

Pernetti will have to clean up the mess left behind after the removal of Bob Mulcahy. There has been no response that I've seen to the call from Steve Sweeney to have President McCormick resign. That's not terribly surprising, given that the Legislature can't actually force the dismissal of a university president.

Jason Springer :: Busy news day for Rutgers