The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama System met yesterday in Sellers Auditorium of the Bryant Conference Center to discuss resolutions pertaining to the UA System.

The Board passed a resolution to approve a request for state appropriations for the UA System.

Ray Hayes, vice chancellor of financial affairs for the UA System, said the state legislature imposes a deadline in November for requests for state appropriations.

“The upcoming legislative session starts in January,” he said. “This is the time to show the true need the University has, but the state is under a lot of stress.”

He said much of the costs the federal government used to bear have been shifted to the states to handle, which has acted to reduce state appropriations to universities.

He said retirement and health care continue to increase as a financial challenge to meet.

“As a positive note, this campus is growing in numbers and is seeing more research money,” he said.

He said University President Robert Witt’s focus on promoting research has been conducive to the growth in research for professors and their academic work.

He said the University garnered $47 million for research purposes in 1975. It garnered $600 million for research purposes in 2009.

“For every $1 million dedicated to research, about 35 jobs are created as a direct or indirect result,” he said.

The Board also approved a stage III resolution to determine the architectural design of the seven-story North Bluff Residential Community. The building will be situated in the area where Rose Towers currently stands.

The projected cost is $66,176,251.

The Board approved a stage I resolution pertaining to the project scope and budget for an indoor tennis stadium to be located south of the existing outdoor tennis complex.

The projected cost is $6,000,000.

The Board approved a stage I resolution to relocate the digital media center where WVUA operates to 30,000 gross square feet of undeveloped space in the north end zone of Bryant Denny stadium.

The projected cost is $6,500,000.

The Board approved a stage III resolution to construct the East Quad Energy Plant to be located between Russell Hall and Gordon Palmer due east of Hackberry Lane.

The projected cost is $17,834,623.

A letter University President Robert Witt from Lynda Gilbert, vice president for financial affairs and treasurer for the University, explains the purpose of the building.

The Board approved a resolution to allow the Phi Delta Theta fraternity to build a new house on University Boulevard adjacent to the newly constructed Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity house.

The projected cost is $6,260,625.