SIUC’s School of Medicine got the approval Thursday from the SIU Board of Trustees for a center to help regional people with developmental and learning disabilities.

The board also approved a new roof for Mae Smith Hall and renovations to two buildings at its regularly scheduled meeting in Ballroom D in the Student Center.

The new Center for Disorders in Development and Learning will be located at the SIUC School of Medicine in Springfield.

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According to a memo sent to the board defining the center’s purposes and uses, the School of Medicine said the center is designed to research causes and treatment for people in Central and Southern Illinois with the disabilities.

The School of Medicine said in the memo that the center will also educate professionals and the general public about the developmental and learning disorders.

Molly D’Esposito, board vice-chairman, said the center will address very important problems in the area.

According to the memo, the center will require $92,833 to operate for each year of the next five fiscal years starting in fiscal year 1996.

Construction for the new roof at Mae Smith Hall, a dorm in Brush Towers, will begin next summer. The roof is estimated to cost about $150,000 and will be paid for by student housing revenue.

Allen Haake, of physical plant engineering services, said roofing companies can begin bidding on the job in early 1996.

Two buildings located in the Carbondale Industrial Park, bought by the University earlier this year, will be renovated into long-term storage space for SIUC’s General Stores division, which handles bulk merchandise and commodities.

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The renovations to the buildings are estimated to cost $118,000 and will be paid for by the General Stores’ revenue. The renovations will begin in November.

All items on the board’s agenda were passed, including an $8,500 tuition rate for the anticipated physician assistant bachelor of science degree program and the creation of a group housing rate for SIUE’s Tower Lake Apartments.