At Thursday’s meeting of the University’s Board of Regents, the board will consider a host of renovation projects and approve proposed designs for a refurbished South Quad Residence Hall. The University’s governing body will also weigh granting honorary degrees to a number of distinguished individuals at the May commencement ceremony and approve the selection of a new vice provost for academic and budgetary affairs.

One of the largest projects the regents will consider for approval is the design for a proposed renovation of the Taubman Health Sciences Library. The regents approved the commission of a schematic at the April 2012 meeting, allocating up to $55 million for the project. Along with the design, the regents will approve the selection of TMP Architecture to complete the renovation.

The project plans to transfer lesser-used volumes to an off-site location in order to open two floors of the building for academic use. The plan calls for a renovation of 137,000 square feet of space that will include a smaller library collection and larger areas dedicated to instructional functions. These areas include a clinical skills and simulation suite, computing and study spaces, and spaces designated for faculty and student service.

The Medical School will finance the project to carry out architectural, mechanical and electrical work. The renovation will employ 72 on-site workers and is slated for completion in fall 2015.

Regents to approve new softball facility

The regents are set to review the schematic design and revised project budget for the Softball Center New Facility project, as requested by Athletic Director David Brandon and Timothy Slottow, the University's executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Approved at the October 2012 meeting, the project will include new locker rooms for players and coaches, new offices, fitness spaces, hydrotherapy pools, a team meeting room and a support space. With the regents’ approval, Integrated Architecture will be responsible for the 10,200 gross-square-foot project.

The regents will consider the revised project budget, which has grown from $4 million to $5.2 million as a result of Athletic Department resources and gifts. After creating the schematic design, Brandon and Slottow determined that they had originally underestimated the cost.

The project is set to provide 19 on-site construction jobs, and construction is expected to be completed in the winter of 2014.

Regents to approve issuing of South Quad renovation bids, Earl V. Moore Building roof replacement

As the schematic design for the renovations to South Quad was approved at the February 2013 regents meeting, the regents are also set to authorize the issue of bids and award construction contracts for the project.

The $60-million project will renovate nearly 106,700 square feet of space in the first and ground floors of the dorm. The project will create an updated and enlarged dining facility meant to be a hub for all of Central Campus — similar to Hill Dining Center — and renovate bathrooms throughout the building. The project will create new spaces for student interaction such as study spaces, music practice rooms and refurbished lounges.

The dorm’s infrastructure improvements include new plumbing, fire detection and suppression systems, wireless Internet and accessibility improvements. There will be 131 on-site construction jobs, and the project should be completed in the summer of 2014.

The regents will also consider roof reconstruction for the Earl V. Moore Building with an estimated cost of $1.8 million funded by investment proceeds.

In a communication with the regents, Slottow said the current roofing system has exceeded its projected life and is showing signs of wear.