The state legislature's Joint Capital Outlay Subcommittee
voted unanimously April 19 to approve Eastern Michigan
University's $100 million Mark Jefferson Science Complex.
"The approval of this project positions the University
to achieve an important element of its vision," said EMU
President John Fallon. "The Mark Jefferson Science Complex
will provide first-rate instructional and research spaces
in the natural sciences. When coupled with the University's
nationally recognized teacher education program, it is
expected that EMU will lead the way in the country in responding
to the challenge of preparing the very best teachers in
mathematics, science and technology."
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SCIENCE ADVANCES: The state legislature's
Joint
Capital Outlay Subcommittee voted unanimously
April 19 to approve Eastern Michigan University's
$100 million Mark Jefferson Science Complex. The
project will be funded primarily through the sale
of
bonds. |
"The approval from the state to proceed with this project
is extremely exciting to the University and to the region," said
Janice M. Stroh, vice president of business and finance
at EMU. "Our next challenge is to find the right architectural
firm that will take the University's vision and direction
in the sciences, and design a state-of-the-art facility."
"This is an important first step in an important project
that has generated a great deal of excitement on campus," said
Freman Hendrix, governmental relations officer for EMU. "We
appreciate the fact that the joint committee supported
EMU in this project and we look forward to breaking ground
in the future."
The EMU Board of Regents unanimously voted to proceed
with the renovation of the existing Mark Jefferson building
and new construction to make the Mark Jefferson Science
Complex at its regular meeting Jan. 19.
The estimated cost of the entire project is $100 million.
The plan encompasses $26.7 million for renovation of the
existing 180,802-square-foot building and $73.3 million
for 151,000 square feet of new construction.
The project will be primarily funded through the sale
of bonds. The majority of the repayment of the bonds will
be funded from the 4 percent tuition and fee increase approved
by the Board for this purpose in fall 2005.
Constructed in 1969 at a cost of $8.2 million, the five-story
Mark Jefferson building houses the primary facilities for
the College of Arts and Sciences, including biology, chemistry,
physics and psychology.
