FLAGSTAFF - Two UA construction projects received approval from the Arizona Board of Regents yesterday to help coordinate the university's capital improvement plan.

Regents passed the state-operating budget of $1.4 billion, a 12.1 percent increase of more than $148 million over the 2006 base budget, and a 17.6 percent increase over the 2006 fiscal year general fund base.

The regents gave the green light for the UA's 2007-2009 capital improvement plan, which in its first year of planning would include $65.3 million in funding the Arizona State Museum and James E. Rogers College of Law projects.

An additional $38.3 million was also approved for building renewal, said UA President Peter Likins.

With the plan, the Arizona State Museum is expected to relocate to downtown Tucson as part of the Rio Nuevo development project.

Administrative offices, however, will remain at the museum's campus location, said Joel Valdez, senior vice president of UA business affairs.

More than $47 million of the capital improvement plan will allow the museum to expand its outreach and public programs to the downtown facility, Valdez said.

To address space concerns at the College of Law, $18 million of the improvement plan has been set aside to build a law commons in the college. The expansion will include a new front entrance to the college at East Helen Street, according to a regent executive summary of the project.

Both projects are expected to be funded through a combination of bonds, gifts and in the case of the Arizona State Museum, a Rio Nuevo tax will be added, according to the regents' project summary.

State campus presidents discuss hurricane relief

Presidents from the three Arizona public universities discussed how their

administration and students helped contribute to the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita relief efforts during yesterday's regents meeting.

President Peter Likins said the administration's first response was to identify the more than 85 students attending the UA from the Louisiana area to make sure their livelihood was still intact and see how the administration could figure out ways to help them get back on their feet.

For students attending colleges in Louisiana, primarily Tulane University, Likins said the UA opened its arms in welcoming these students who may not otherwise have found an institution willing to offer them classes.

More than 20 undergraduate students and 16 graduate students ended up coming to the UA, where students helped them get back on their feet by helping to furnish their apartments and stock their new residences with food, toiletries and other necessities.

"They were all treated especially well," Likins said.

Besides welcoming students to the university, Likins also spoke about the many campus organizations and clubs that donated money to organizations like the Red Cross and WorldCare through efforts like carwashes and other money raising methods.

Arizona State University President Michael Crow said the administration welcomed more than 1,000 evacuees from the New Orleans area and prepared apartments around campus.