Table of Contents
I. UCONN 2000: THE UPDATE
II. ACTIVITIES COMPLETED OR UNDERWAY:

• PLANNING, DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT
• CONSTRUCTION
• PRIVATE FINANCIAL SUPPORT
• UNIVERSITY SPECIAL OBLIGATION REVENUE BONDS SECURED BY PLEDGED REVENUES

III. CURRENT PROJECT STATUS (as of October, 1997)
IV. CURRENT PROJECTS FUND SOURCES: UCONN 2000 (as of October, 1997)
CHARTS

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UCONN 2000: THE UPDATE

This is the fifth in a series of semi-annual reports to the Governor and the General Assembly pursuant to the provisions of Sections 10a-109 through 10a-109m of the Connecticut General Statutes, originally An Act to Enhance the Infrastructure of the University of Connecticut, and now known as UCONN 2000.

The first report, dated October 1, 1995, placed this historic undertaking in the context of the University's strategic plan and provided a summary of the provisions of the law. Because the reporting deadline followed so closely on the heels of the enactment of UCONN 2000, many of the activities on which the University is required to report were in the earliest stages of development. This, and future reports, will contain an increasing level of detail as projects are implemented and completed.

While most of the activities mentioned in this report are projects specified in the UCONN

2000 legislation, some are supported in whole or in part by other funding sources. All significant projects underway are presented in this report, however, for two reasons. First, it is essential that all major capital activities are developed, implemented and reported in a comprehensive manner. Second, UCONN 2000 did more than provide a funding structure for the rebuilding of the University. The law also conferred upon UConn the flexibility and management authority necessary to enable the University to move forward with this tremendous effort in a focused and expeditious manner. Every aspect of the University's physical renewal has benefitted from the management oversight provisions of UCONN 2000.

UCONN 2000: ACTIVITIES COMPLETED OR UNDERWAY

PLANNING, DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT

• On July 11, 1997, the Board of Trustees approved the list of Year Three UCONN 2000 projects. These projects and their corresponding budgets are:

PROJECT NAME	1997-98 AMOUNT
Agricultural Biotechnology Facility	$ 9,400,000
Chemistry Building	$ 3,632,000
Deferred Maintenance and Renovation Lump Sum	$ 10,000,000
Equipment, Library Collections & Telecommunications	$ 13,814,000
Fairfield Road Pedestrian Walkway (Design)	$ 200,000
Gant Plaza	$ 3,516,000
Litchfield Agricultural Center	$ 904,000
North Superblock Site & Utilities	$ 7,668,000
Technology Quadrant -- Phase IA (Biology/Physics)	$ 37,903,000
Underground Steam & Water Upgrade	$ 3,000,000
Wilbur Cross Building Renovations	$ 3,109,000
TOTAL	$93,146,000

• Bids have been received on the Ice Rink Enclosure project. The bids were $1,000,000 lower than previous bids due to a revised scope but still higher than the pre-existing budget. On September 26, 1997, the Board of Trustees approved a revised budget of $3,828,000 for the project. The design/build contract has been awarded to HRH/Atlas of Stamford, Connecticut, with completion scheduled for October 1998.
• Additional projects have been included under the Owners Controlled Insurance Program (OCIP) with a total construction value of over $147 million.

The following projects are included in the program:

New Chemistry Building

Stamford Downtown Campus

Music and Drama/Music Additions and Renovations

South Campus Dormitory and Dining Hall

North Campus Parking Garage

New Central Warehouse

Ice Rink Enclosure

In the event of State Bond Commission action, the Avery Point Marine Science project will be included in the OCIP program.

Current projections indicate that these projects under the OCIP program will save the University $4.5 million. Additionally, the first report from the insurance broker (Sedgwick, James of New England) on the OCIP program indicates that the lost-time incident rate on our projects is better than the national average lost-time incident rate.

The following projects, now out to bid, will also be covered under OCIP:

Agricultural Biotechnology Facility

Technology Quadrant-Phase 1A (Biology/Physics)

Underground Steam and Water Upgrade

Current estimates are that OCIP implementation will potentially realize savings of approximately $7 million on Phase 1 projects.

§ The UCONN 2000 Errors and Omission policy is in place. Architects and engineers under contract to the University have been enrolled in the program.

§ The Facilities Management Home Page on the World Wide Web has been very successful. The site has been visited over 3,200 times since its introduction in October 1996. Facilities Management has also started an e-mail alert list for those firms that have Internet access in order to inform them of project opportunities at the University. All public notices are being sent to these firms to provide wider distribution of professional service solicitations.

§ The University is advertising for Architectural and Engineering firms to replace the existing open-ended contracts. The old contracts covered a two-year time limit and are expiring.

§ The University is advertising for firms to provide on-call claims analysis as needed.

§ The State Bond Commission on September 26, 1997, allotted funds for the following projects for which bond authorizations occurred prior to UCONN 2000:

§ Three additional projects authorized prior to the adoption of the UCONN 2000 legislation are awaiting action by the State Bond Commission. The projects are:

§ The project for the development of a revised Facilities Master Plan is moving to completion. This plan has identified potential future building sites for the UCONN 2000 projects. Some of the goals of the master planning effort are:

• Establishment of a framework that emphasizes a clear concept of campus organization within a context of an academic community committed to a physical infrastructure that is beautiful, accessible, practical, secure and durable.
• Adoption of architectural building guidelines
• Development of site and landscape standards
• Composite campus-wide system plans that identify:

  Service access points

  Potential building locations

  Open space

  Pedestrian circulation

  Parking

  Utilities

  • Regional campus projects that will improve the identity of the campus
  • Identification of infrastructure capacities to support growth including:

    Utilities (distribution and production)

    Telecommunications

    Site/building capacities

    Parking

    Vehicular circulation (automobiles, shuttle transit and bicycles

The final plan will be presented to the Board of Trustees for approval in October 1998. Public meetings have been held to receive input from the campus community and residents of the Town of Mansfield. The University of Connecticut is in a unique position -- with the support of UCONN 2000 funding, the University will be able to see significant aspects of its Master Plan implemented in the coming decade.

• On the Avery Point Marine Sciences project bids have been received. However, since part of the funding ($1,318,000) for the project was authorized prior to UCONN 2000, the construction contract cannot be awarded until action is taken by the State Bond Commission to release that portion of the funds.
• On July 11 1997, the Board of Trustees approved moving the funding for the Waterbury Property Purchase project ($325,000) into the Deferred Maintenance and Renovation Lump Sum project to fund renovation projects on the Waterbury campus.

CONSTRUCTION

• The pace of the UCONN 2000 construction program is accelerating. Projects that have started or are out to bid total over $253 million dollars. The following major new projects have had construction contracts awarded and construction started since the last report:

South Campus Dormitories and Dining Hall

North Campus Parking Garage

New Central Warehouse

Ice Rink Enclosure

Branford House Interior Renovation (Avery Point Campus)

Utilities Upgrade -- Avery Point Campus

• The following projects are out to bid:

Biology/Physics Building (Tech Quad Phase I)

Underground Steam and Water Upgrade

Agricultural Biotechnology Facility

White Building Renovation

Benedict Miller House Renovation (Waterbury Campus)

• Despite the August 10, 1997, Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by Guy F. Atkinson, a national construction firm and the parent company of the prime contractor for the new Chemistry and Stamford campus buildings, neither company nor UConn officials expect the action to delay the two UConn projects.

  Workers for Walsh Construction Company of Trumbull, a subsidiary of Atkinson, have not slowed their pace since the filing was announced. Walsh started work on the Stamford campus in August 1996 and on the Chemistry building one month later.

  In Stamford, one of about 20 subcontractors Walsh officials hired for the project initially left the site, but the firm -- Jordan Panels of New York -- returned to work in mid-September. None of the subcontractors working with Walsh at the Chemistry building site has ceased operations.

  Atkinson's bankruptcy is a concern, but it does not lessen UConn's resolve to complete the projects on time and on budget. Both UConn projects are fully bonded, and funds are available for the company to pays its subcontractors. University officials will review progress on the Stamford job in mid-October for a better determination of when the job will be completed.

The new Chemistry building is expected to open in late 1998.

• The Field House Reconstruction project was completed and the building returned to use during the fall semester. The project represents a vast improvement in the recreational facilities available to the UConn community. The contractor for this project was Konover Construction Company of West Hartford, Connecticut.
• The renovations to the Mansfield Apartments were completed on schedule and under budget.
• The new Chemistry Building is over 50% completed and on schedule for a fall 1998 completion. This new building is an excellent example of the improvements promised by UCONN 2000 on the Storrs campus.
• The South Campus Dormitories and Dining Hall project is underway at the southern end of the Storrs campus. The contractor, Suffolk Construction, has embarked on an ambitious construction schedule, targeting a fall 1998 opening. The project will be a showplace for the renewed emphasis on the quality of student services, with technology and learning activities directly tied to residential life.
• Construction of the North Campus Parking Garage has started at the corner of Hillside and North Eagleville Roads. This 1,000 car garage is scheduled to be design-built in six months by O & G Industries of Torrington, Connecticut. The project is on target for a January 1998 opening.
• Numerous smaller projects were completed over the past six months, including the renovation of seven high-tech classrooms, new surface parking lots, repair of four roofs, and replacement of mechanical equipment at several buildings.
• Babbidge Library repairs are continuing under the management of the State Department of Public Works. The project is approximately 70% complete with final completion scheduled for spring 1998.
  
  

PRIVATE FINANCIAL SUPPORT

• The UCONN 2000 endowment matching gift program has been a resounding success, resulting in unprecedented levels of giving from alumni and other friends of the University. By the end of Fiscal Year 1997, private giving had enabled the University to take full advantage of the state's initial $20 million commitment. In recognition of the program's success, the General Assembly enacted a continuation and restructuring of the match on a 1:2 basis (one state dollar to every two private dollars). From Fiscal Year 2000 to Fiscal Year 2007, the state grant may total up to $52.2 million, depending on the level of donations actually received.
• After the first full year of UCONN 2000 solicitation, which ended on December 31, 1996, pledges totaled $16.8 million. At June 30, 1997, the original $20 million, 1:1 match was fully subscribed and over $500,000 in additional pledges was received against the new 1:2 matching gift program enacted by the legislature.
• Gift receipts for the University totaled $19.8 million at June 30, 1997, the end of the fiscal year. This amount represents a 48% increase over the previous fiscal year. This can be compared to $13.3 million raised during Fiscal Year 1996 and $8.2 million raised in Fiscal Year 1995.
• The upward trend in giving demonstrated since the inception of UCONN 2000 continued. At June 30, 1997, giving was up across all major areas for the year Storrs and regional campuses, 72%; Health Center, 47%; and Athletics, 13%, compared to gift levels during the previous fiscal year. The largest increases in academic fundraising were recorded by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Institute of Material Science, and the Schools of Allied Health, Fine Arts and Law, each of which doubled their gift receipts in Fiscal Year 1997.
• Gifts to endowment at June 30, 1997, totaled $10.6 million. This represents an increase of 124% over the previous fiscal year, and can be directly attributed to the matching gift opportunities available to donors through UCONN 2000. To be eligible for UCONN 2000 matching funds, endowment gifts must have been for scholarships, faculty professorships or program enhancements.
• The size of individual gifts has increased dramatically since the inception of the UCONN 2000 matching gifts program. During Fiscal Year 1997, 70 donors made gifts between $25,000 and $99,000, which totaled $2.8 million. Twenty-eight gifts of $100,000 or greater were received, including six gifts of $500,000 or greater (five gifts from individuals and one from a corporate donor), for a total of $8.4 million. This compares to 65 gifts of $25,000 - $99,000 and 18 gifts of $100,000 or greater, totaling $5.8 million, received during the previous fiscal year.
• On February 14, 1997, the Board of Trustees submitted to the state Office of Policy and Management a request for $9.1 million in matching funds to be paid against endowment gifts received in calendar year 1996. It is expected that these funds will be received from the state before the end of calendar year 1997.
• The Foundations's total endowment assets at fiscal year-end were $85.8 million, an increase of 33% over the balance of $64.6 million the previous year.
• Total Foundation assets at June 30, 1997, were $108.7 million, an increase of 28% over the prior year.
  
  

UNIVERSITY SPECIAL OBLIGATION REVENUE BONDS SECURED BY PLEDGED REVENUES

• The law authorizes the University to issue Special Obligation Revenue bonds. Unlike the Debt Service Commitment bonds, for which debt service is paid out of the State's General Fund, the Special Obligation Bonds are paid for out of certain pledged revenues of the University as defined in the particular bond series indenture.
• On November 8, 1996, the Board of Trustees approved the Special Obligation Master Indenture and Supplemental Indenture drafts authorizing the issuance of up to $30,000,000 of Special Obligation bonds for construction of the South Campus Dormitories and Dining Hall. This initial issue of Special Obligation bonds is scheduled to be priced and issued by the University during January 1998.
• It is expected that the Special Obligation bond issue will be backed by the additional security of the State's Special Capital Reserve Fund (SCRF). The State SCRF enhancement will allow the bonds to attain a higher credit rating.
• A Special Capital Reserve Fund may be established only if the Board of Trustees of the University determines that the Special Obligation bond issue is self-sufficient as defined in the law. Additionally, the self-sufficiency finding by the University must be submitted to and confirmed as not unreasonable or arbitrary by the Treasurer of the state, prior to issuance of the bonds. The Board of Trustees is expected to act on the finding of selfsufficiency during the November 14, 1997 meeting. The finding would then be submitted to the Office of the Treasurer.
• Once approved, the Special Capital Reserve Fund is funded at issuance by the University to meet the minimum capital reserve requirement. However, subject to notification by the University on or before December 1 (annually), if this amount falls below the required minimum capital reserve, there is deemed to be appropriated from the state General Fund the sums necessary to restore each such Special Capital Reserve Fund to the required minimum capital reserve level.