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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

Sale of Land for Residence Halls Approved; Information Clarified


On Tuesday evening, the Monroe County Legislature approved the sale of approximately 7.6 acres of land to the MCC Association for the purpose of building residence halls. The legislature also approved the issuance of bonds via the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency (COMIDA). We appreciate the support of the legislature in helping us to meet the growing demand for on-campus living.

The campaign opposing the halls resulted in some misinformation and confusion. Let me take a moment to correct and clarify some key points.

*Business Plan.
The decision to seek the sale of the land to the MCC Association was based upon the economics of the project. If the business model did not support financial self-sufficiency, we would not build the halls. Quite simply, if the project were built as a public project, the cost would increase by approximately 29 percent, making the project cost prohibitive and the room cost to students excessive.

*Public Funds.
Unlike our four-year SUNY counterparts, MCC is prohibited by law from using public tax dollars or tuition dollars for the construction or operation of residence halls. No public or tax dollars will be used in this project.

*Public vs. Private Project.
The New York State Department of Labor has told MCC that if the land on which the halls are built is privately owned, the project would not be considered a public works project. On Tuesday, the county legislature agreed to sell the land to the MCC Association, a private, non-profit organization.

*Project Costs.
The first set of residence halls with 410 beds cost $16.5 million. The second set with 366 beds is expected to cost $18.4 million. The difference is due to two factors: inflation in construction costs seen across the country over the past four years and additional site preparation costs.

*Competitive Costs.
The MCC Association conducted a thorough analysis of the project costs and is confident that the price tag is fair. For example, construction will cost $132/sq. ft.; two other area colleges are building residence halls at a cost in excess of $200/sq. ft.

*Use of Local Labor.
It has been reported that local labor will not be used on this project. Not true. This project will use local labor, as required by our funder, COMIDA.

*Use of Union Labor.
It has been reported that union labor will not be used on this project. Union and non-union subcontractors will be able to bid on the project.

*Impact on Tuition.
A flyer circulating the campus implied that the residence hall project would cause tuition to increase. Not true. The halls are owned, operated and financed by the MCC Association; tuition is a factor of college finances, not MCC Association finances.

*Local Students vs. Out of County Students.
It has been reported that the residence halls are targeted for out-of-county and international students. While the halls are certainly important to our ability to attract these students, the halls are for the benefit of all MCC students who wish to reside on campus. Admission to the residence halls is based on when students apply to live in the halls, when they pay a deposit, and whether they are registered for classes by June 1.

Cynthia Cooper
Public Affairs
04/13/2006