Blinn Board of Trustees authorizes purchase of RELLIS Campus equipment
Blinn will open new academic facility at The Texas A&M System’s RELLIS Campus in Fall 2018
January 22, 2018
Preparations for the opening of Blinn College’s new academic facility at the RELLIS Campus continued Monday as the Blinn College Board of Trustees approved the purchase of soft cost items for the facility.
Trustees approved the purchase of furniture and fixtures, audiovisual equipment and technology, security equipment, laboratory equipment, and testing and balancing of the hydronic and HVAC systems. The equipment will cost $1.26 million, including $647,818 in laboratory equipment. Each of the projects will be paid for from Blinn’s RELLIS Campus soft cost budget and be funded from bond sales.
In Fall 2018, Blinn will be expanding to a facility at The Texas A&M University System RELLIS Campus to allow Blinn students to complete their four-year degrees from Texas A&M System regional universities onsite. Each program at the RELLIS Academic Alliance creates a seamless pathway for students to earn a bachelor’s degree in related fields from an A&M System University, including Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Prairie View A&M University, Tarleton State University, Texas A&M University-International, West Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Texas A&M University-Central Texas. For more information, visit https://RELLIS.TAMUS.EDU/AcademicAlliance.
The board also authorized the execution of a contract between Blinn and Mission Restaurant Supply to furnish food service equipment for renovations to the Brenham Campus Student Center food service facilities. With the addition of a new, 464-bed student housing facility opening on the Brenham Campus in Fall 2018, Blinn is renovating its food services space to accommodate the anticipated enrollment growth. Those renovations will provide a more efficient equipment layout and additional seating for students. The $599,820 contract for food service equipment would come from the approved repairs and renovations budget and 2016 bond issue funds.
Prior to the meeting, City of Brenham Mayor Milton Tate conducted the swearing-in ceremony for trustees Ann Horton and Jason Jennings. The Brazos County Commissioners Court re-appointed Horton and appointed Jennings to a term lasting through November 2019.
