Two Eastern development projects are in their final stages.

The Illinois Board of Higher Education will recommend approval Tuesday of a sprinkler system for University Court apartments and turf for O’Brien Stadium.

Eastern’s Board of Trustees approved the sprinklers project early this semester and the turf idea March 19.

Sprinklers will be installed this summer and summer 2004 in all 10 apartment buildings for an estimated $1.2 million.

The project will be paid by bonds.

Campus and housing fees have gone up.

The campus improvement fee increased $18 per semester over the last two years and $43 per semester of housing rates for 1999 to fund housing improvements, according to a proposal to the IBHE.

“The apartments will be vacated during construction,” and the sprinklers will be for additional fire protections, the reports said.

The other project will install artificial turf on the football field and the areas between the field and track for $750,000.

The turf will have an eight-year warranty.

The project will be paid for by outside sources and about $600,000 has already been raised, said director of athletics Richard McDuffie last month.

The change is necessary to deter maintenance needed on the current field, and the field made of granulated rubber and plastic-like strands likely will reduce injuries. The new grass also will need less maintenance, he said.

The IBHE also will discuss at least 10 bills impacting higher education out of the 5,700 introduced in the Spring 2003 legislative session.

House Bill 1118 on tuition caps, House Bill 1263 on tuition revenue and Senate Bill 89 dealing with appropriations will be discussed and are three issues Eastern is tracking in the legislature.

The first bill proposed students a guaranteed tuition cap for three and a half years at the rate they pay freshman year.

The tuition revenue bill would require public universities to deposit tuition income in the state treasury instead of holding revenues locally.

The Senate bill requires specific appropriation amounts be reported for administration, civil service, instruction and research “within each of these categories to identify individual line items,” the report to the board stated.

The IBHE also will discuss improving faculty diversity in higher education.

The agenda item is in response to a 2001 report on a study of diversity.

The study suggests “drawing more effectively from faculty pools, improving the search process and campus climate and strengthening accountability,” the IBHE proposal stated.

It is recommended the board staff prepare recommendations for the August meeting.

The report “Gateway to Success: Rethinking Access and Diversity for a New Century” focused on minority faculty but also researched female and handicapped faculty.

The IBHE also will discuss new programs for public community colleges, new medical units of instruction at Northern Illinois University and the University of Illinois Chicago and operating and/or degree-granting authority at several institutions.

The IBHE meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday in room 302 of Vermilion Hall at Danville Community College.