The OU Board of Trustees approved building a bridge to 21st century recreation at OU.

The trustees agreed this weekend to advertise for bids to create a footbridge across the Hocking River to provide access to three new holes planned for the university golf course.

This $750,000 project is funded by the Hocking River Conservancy District.

The bridge and new holes are necessary because the current golf course is being reconstructed to allow for new tennis courts and a football practice field.

"The goal is to develop the river area to have picnic spots, canoeing and rafting," said Gary North, vice president for administration. "We also wanted an area that would allow us to keep a golf course that had three par-threes, three par-fours and three par-fives."

The structure, which will be 370 feet long and 10 feet wide, will be wide enough for two golf carts and utility vehicles to pass through. The bridge will have low-key lighting and arches to maintain a "traditional feel," said John Kotowski, director of facilities planning.

In other business, the trustees:

n Heard a report from Admissions Director Kip Howard that a record 12,500 applications were received for the fall 1998 term. OU received the second highest number of applications in the state, second to Ohio State University.

n Passed a resolution agreeing to spend $326,756 in available state funds for a second phase of construction projects in the residence halls to update compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. These projects include the installation of an elevator in Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium, a ramp and elevator in the Research and Technology Building, renovations to the Chubb Hall entry to increase safety in inclement weather and the installation of automatic door openers on South Green.

n Agreed to spend $178,750 to renovate the Putnam Child Care facility. These renovations will improve the facility's instructional space, but it will not increase its capacity.

n Approved a resolution naming the Bob Wren Stadium lounge after Joseph F. Dan, a former student-athlete, coach, administrator and Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, who helped secure the funding for the stadium. The trustees also named the renovated basketball office suite in The Convo "The Vern and Marion Alden Basketball Suite." Vernon Alden was the university's 15th president.

n Approved a resolution naming Stocker Center Room 189, which holds the institute's literature and resource center, "The Loehr Leadership Resource Center," after Gerald G. Loehr, a founder of the Robe Leadership Institute.

n Approved a resolution changing the name of OU's College of Osteopathic Medicine's department of clinical research to the department of biomedical sciences. The new department will focus on basic research, applied biomedical research and medical education research.