At its quarterly meeting today, Coastal Carolina University's Board of Trustees approved the purchase of 1.6 acres on S.C. 544 near the campus. The acquisition of the property, located between the main campus and the University Place (UP) student housing complex, will help fulfill CCU's Comprehensive Master Plan, which calls for steps to be taken to connect the two areas in order to improve access to the main campus for the approximately 2,000 students housed in UP. Purchase of the property enhances the goal of establishing a pedestrian and bicycle path connecting the main campus and UP, as well as access to a parking lot scheduled to be constructed on S.C. 544 on a contiguous parcel CCU has acquired. The University will purchase the 1.6-acre property at its appraised value of $190,000.

The board approved the lease of office space at 909 Front St. in Georgetown and 180 feet of dock space along Georgetown's harbor. The office space and dock area will enhance CCU's capacity to provide quality marine science instruction and research at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels. The dock will house marine research vessels operated by the College of Science. In addition to science instruction, the office area will also provide space for other academic functions. The cost of the lease is $28,320 annually.

The board approved lease renewals for classroom space at Horry Georgetown Technical College's Grand Strand campus and for the Small Business Development Center through Winthop University, both for one-year terms.

The board approved an across the board pay increase of 1 percent for University employees effective Aug. 16.

The board approved a $100,000 budget line item for the establishment of a new academic initiative, the Coastal Office of Online Learning (COOL). The initiative will focus on online and distance learning.

The board also approved the promotion of faculty member John W. Mortimer to full professor.