Community Connections Council Meeting

October 16, 2007 Minutes

Alumni Room - Shannon Center

Present:  

  • Jean Carey
  • M. Connor Kelly - SXU
  • Steve Graves
  • Norine Hughes - 19th Ward office
  • Pat Kouba
  • Dolores Madlener
  • Mike McShane
  • Regina O’Connor 
  • Nancy Pepper
  • Susan Piros - SXU
  • Amy Rawl 
  • Bob Tenczar

Absent:

  • Mike Walsh
  • Mary Kiedrow
  • Fran Hurley - 19th Ward
  • Fr. Dave Simonetti
  • Sr. Sue Sanders - SXU

Meeting opened with self-introductions and prayer.

103rd Street property update

Exterior renovations have been completed.   Everyone agreed that the improvements were a welcome addition to the block.  University offices will begin relocation to these properties by the end of October.  The Office of Auxiliary Services will be the first to relocate and the remaining relocations will be completed by the end of November of early December.

Stadium Lights-Talley’s Corner Concerns

The University received a few call concerning athletic stadium lights spilling onto homeowners property on Springfield.  In response, SXU Athletic Director Bob Hallberg personally met with neighbors to discuss the issue.  Coach Hallberg also followed up with a letter and copy of the outdoor stadium schedule for the next few months showing stadium use ending at approximately 5:30 p.m. through December.  The stadiums heavy usage is in the fall.  SXU contacted the lighting company to conduct a comprehensive study to determine if adjustments are necessary.  We will share the results of the study when it is completed. 

Campus Construction-New Residence Hall

In response to increasing demands for student housing on campus, the University has planned a new residence hall.  Artist renditions of the new building were on display.  Like the University’s newest residence hall, Rubloff Hall, the new structure will follow the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) “green building” standards. This new energy-efficient 160-bed residence hall will be located on University owned property on the north side of campus between the new parking lot and the softball stadium.  The University plans to break ground in November for residence occupancy by the fall semester of 2008. With additional student residence on campus, it is the goal of the University to decrease the number of students living in University-leased apartments in the surrounding communities.  The University is currently working on a new campus master plan. The University anticipates the plan will be completed over the next four to six months and at that time will be made available to the community.

Questions-Comments

Parking continues to be an issue.  Despite the fact that there are enough parking spots on campus, students continue to park on neighboring streets.  Residence parking permits are required around a large area of campus.  Steve Graves asked if the University could absorb the permit-parking fee.  Being such a large area, residential compensation it is not feasible at this time.  Norine Hughes, representing Alderman Rugai’s office, stated that there is no fee for resident parking permits near Bourbon Street.  The University will continue to study this issue.

Talley’s Corner

Neighbors have concerns that students are cutting through Talley’s Corner to enter campus and complaints about people walking dogs and not cleaning up afterward.  One suggested resolution was to have the university to construct a fence to run along side current fence down Springfield.  The University will study this option. 

The University has also received calls regarding yards being flooding.  Upon further investigation, it was discovered that a property owner along Springfield had a hose sticking out of the fence, draining on University property.  This was causing flooding in neighboring yards.

The meeting was adjourned.  Next meeting has not been schedule but will take place after the first of the year.