SMU’s campus in Taos is getting a makeover. SMU will use a $4 million gift from former Texas Governor William P. Clements, Jr. and his wife, as well as $900,000 from other donors to make the New Mexico campus useable in all seasons. The campus is currently only open in summer because it is not equipped for cold weather. Officials broke ground in a ceremony on July 18 on new student housing. SMU plans to also renovate existing student and faculty housing and build a new student center. Technological improvements will include Internet access and cell phone service. SMU hopes to begin offering fall semester classes in 2009 for 70 students. “SMU-in-Taos is a unique facility for teaching and research that draws from the diverse natural resources and cultures of Northern New Mexico,” said Paul W. Ludden, SMU provost and vice president for academic affairs. “By offering a fall semester, we can now make this resource accessible to more SMU students, especially those who cannot enroll in summer programs because of the need for employment during those months.” The fall semester would be broken up into five course modules. Four of the modules will be courses taken in sequence, while the fifth module will be an independent study project. SMU also hopes to expand the curriculum offered at the campus. Further plans include internship programs and community service in the Taos area.