Building OK'd by regents for UC

There's a budget for new buildings at the University of California at Merced — but no money yet.

A construction budget for the 2010-2011 fiscal year was approved Tuesday by the University of California Regents' Committee on Grounds and Buildings.

The proposed funding for the projects comes from a state general obligation bond, which voters would have to approve next year.

UC representatives at the meeting said it would be a tough go if the ballot measure is included on the November 2010 ballot, which already includes an $11 billion water bond measure. The system could push for a higher education measure for the June elections, they said.

UC Merced holds a decent take of the proposed budget. At a cost of nearly $110 million, UC Merced plans to refurbish part of the campus's Castle facility, on the site of the old military air base. It also plans to build a second science and engineering building, a social sciences and management building and start environmental mitigation requirements for future projects.

The committee also reviewed the university's building plans through 2015.

Before 2015, UC Merced plans to add a student serv-ices building, more housing, an administration building, a student union and an aquatics center.

The regents will meet again today at 8:30 a.m. They will discuss, among other items, mid-year fee increases for students at all 10 campuses.