Darryl Gallinger
News Editor

he University of Windsor will begin the tendering process for multimillion dollar renovations to the Odette School of Business.

The University of Windsor’s board of governors voted in favour of finding the lowest qualified bidder and finalizing plans for renovations to the building at their June 26 meeting.

University spokesperson Holly Ward emphasized the importance of the location. “You can imagine, CEI opening– the engineering building– and then you’ve got the Innovation Centre across the street, and then the Odette School of Business. There’s going to be a really great hub there for students.”

The Odette family donated $3 million for renovations to the building. The university does not have finalized estimates, but plans to keep improvements under $3 million.

“The whole donation covers the investment, which is just wonderful,” said Ward.

The space currently housing the Bookstore will be modified with a 100-seat tiered classroom intended for first-year business courses and a 60-seat classroom for master’s of business administration classes. The university will also be adding conference rooms, a lounge area, individual study areas and meeting rooms.

Construction is to begin this fall and it is to be completed for spring 2013.

The Bookstore is to be moved into the basement of the CAW Student Centre after a contract was signed between the university, the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance and the Organization of Part-time University Students.

The UWSA board of directors, having expressed misgivings with the contract, passed a motion that would void the agreement unless the executive members secured further concessions from the university. The deadline expired June 12.

“We haven’t backed out of the contract yet … we’re seeking a legal opinion,” said UWSA president Kim Orr, at a June 21 UWSA council meeting. (See Bookstore contract in legal limbo)

When asked during the board of governors meeting if the situation with the student government had been settled, university president Alan Wildeman responded, “We’re just continuing to move forward as our agreement is stated with them.”

“I would not say that there is a unanimous backing off, but there is a majority respecting the fact that we have a deal. It is being recognized as a very positive step forward,” Wildeman added.