USC’s board of trustees approved development projects, contract renewals and the naming of the baseball field at Founder’s Park in a meeting on Friday.
Renovations will be made to Williams-Brice Stadium, Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center, Russell House and other areas of campus. The board also approved funding for a new neurological hospital on USC’s Health Sciences Campus.
Renovation projects
A request for proposal was approved to add club seating sections and suites to Williams-Brice Stadium, allowing the university to retain an architecture firm to design the additions. The initial proposal focuses on adding developments to the west stands. The university does not expect football games to be relocated at this time, according to a press release.
Renovations for the School of Music to move into the United Methodist Church on Greene Street were also approved. The School of Music will expand into the church’s parsonage house in order to add more practice rooms and faculty studios.
The board also approved renovations to the west wing of the third floor of Russell House. The plan is to create an estimated 6,000-square-feet of meeting space for students.
University Architect Derek Gruner presented final renderings for the School of Medicine’s interior and exterior development as well as new interior design plans for the Brain Health Center. The School of Medicine expects to break ground in February 2025 and is projected to be completed in Fall 2027.
Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center will also upgrade three elevators for routine maintenance.
Renovations have been completed at Taylor House, across the street from the Joseph F. Rice School of Law. The historic building has undergone renovations for the past eight years.
Naming of Founder’s Park Field
The board voted to name the baseball field at Founder's Park to honor athletics director and former baseball coach Ray Tanner. A group of Gamecock Athletics donors collectively gave $2.5 million for the naming.
Contract approvals
The board approved a contract renewal for Helio, a data analytics service, for the next three years.
A service agreement with IBM was also renewed for three years. IBM will continue to provide technical support for PeopleSoft and other systems used by the university to manage finances, human resources and student support operations.
The collaboration between Arnold School of Public Health and Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar was renewed for five years. The two schools created a joint Master of Science in exercise science.
The board also approved a new contract with the Department of Health and Human Services to provide funding for the neurological hospital. The DHHS will provide $10 million by the end of October to begin preliminary architecture and engineering.