The14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education universities are moving forward with the planned installation of sprinklers and smoke detectors in all on-campus residence halls over the next four years.

The automatic fire suppression systems were installed in five residence halls last summer and 24 more projects are scheduled for this year. Another 32 will be completed in 2003, 28 in 2004 and the final 20 in 2005.

Based on bids opened last month, the total cost of all of the installations is expected to be around $40 million, nearly $10 million below the original estimate.

The Board of Governors in April 2000 directed the universities to install sprinklers in all on-campus dormitories within five years. At the time it was estimated the installations would cost $50 million.

Since then, the System developed a multi-year, collaborative procurement process and requested bids from qualified contractors to do the work. The bids were opened in December.

The process will enable the universities to issue yearly work orders to contractors without having to seek separate bids for each project. Because the work will be done over several years, the contractors will be able to design and plan the installations in a manner that will be the least disruptive to students living in the residence halls.

Recently enacted legislation also will help reduce the cost of interest needed to repay the loans that will be taken out to pay for the sprinkler installations. By essentially capping at 3 percent the interest rate the universities will pay, the legislation will result in several million dollars in additional savings to students over the life of the loans. The state will pay any interest costs above the 3 percent cap.

About one-third of the students who attend State System universities live in on-campus residence halls, most of which are not currently equipped with sprinklers. Several universities plan to erect new residence facilities, in addition to renovating existing dormitories. All will include sprinklers and smoke detectors in each room as well as in hallways, stairwells and common areas. Some buildings now being used as residence halls will be converted to other uses or will be demolished and replaced as part of the campus projects.

With more than 98,600 students, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth. Its 14 universities offer more than 250 degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. More than 360,000 System alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The System also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Kittanning, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and the University Center for Southwest Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh. The regional centers are part of the Educational Resources Group, which is responsible for coordinating statewide programming.