Updated at 11:08 p.m. CDT May 5, 2005

CEDAR RAPIDS — The state Board of Regents approved capital projects relating to construction of a new dairy farm and renovation of Morrill Hall on Thursday and also gave the OK to several fee increases for 2005-06 at Iowa State.

Construction of a new ISU dairy farm should begin in September after two developments this week. The Committee for Agricultural Development, a nonprofit organization affiliated with Iowa State, purchased an 887-acre plot south of Ames on which to build the new facility.

The committee paid $6.25 million to Knapp Properties of West Des Moines for the land.

On Thursday, the Board of Regents approved the schematic design for the buildings on the farm. The farm is expected to house 450 milking cattle and include a visitors center as well as teaching and research facilities to serve the animal science department, the National Animal Disease Center, ISU Extension and dairy research by ISU faculty.

Iowa State is in the process of selling its current dairy farm in Ankeny. The proceeds from that sale, more than $15 million, will be used for construction at the new site. The university also closed a 102-acre farm on Mortensen Road in fall 2003.

ISU officials said Thursday that the new site, about three miles south of campus along State Avenue, will have state-of-the-art facilities and the space to help train dairy farmers to accomplish a goal set by members of the state dairy industry. The Iowa 2.8% Coalition said it wants Iowa to be producing 2.8 percent of the nation’s milk by 2010, instead of its current 2.22 percent.

The regents also approved a new budget for renovations to Morrill Hall. Calling the building a “historic structure,” Warren Madden, vice president for business and finance, said rising construction costs meant the project would take $10.29 million instead of the previously budgeted $9 million. Most of it will still be privately financed, and Madden said the university and the ISU Foundation are still pursuing additional donations.

Harold Pike Construction Co. of Ames was awarded the renovation contract.

In other business:

— The board approved a variety of fee increases for 2005-06. Mandatory student fees at Iowa State will increase to $744, from $732. Half of that increase will help support CyRide, which has dealt recently with budget problems related to high fuel prices and lower ridership.

— Several changes to parking fees and illegal parking fines were also approved to pay for maintenance to university parking. Parking permits will each cost about 3 to 4 percent more during 2005-06.

— The fines for illegal parking were revised to deter people from knowingly parking illegally. The fine for overtime parking in a metered space is now $7.50, up from $5; illegal parking now costs $15, not $12; and the fine for parking without a permit in a reserved space increases to $25 from $15.

— Costs for room and board will increase by 3 to 4 percent, depending on a student’s plan, for 2005-06, after the board approved the changes Thursday.

— The board also approved a new placement services fee for College of Human Sciences students and a $636 enrollment fee for graduate students taking zero credits during their last semester, but who are being advised by faculty, such as on theses.