Dear Colleague,

The plans for our new Allied Health, Science & Advanced Manufacturing Complex are progressing. I want to share some important updates about some changes that have been made to this capital project.

Construction costs in the area have increased greatly since 2014, when the project was initially budgeted. In five years’ time, the cost to build this complex has increased to nearly twice the original amount. As a result, College leadership has worked with the architect and impacted academic divisions to make some carefully considered changes to the design that will allow us to proceed with the work, at a cost that fits within the state’s expected capital allocation.

The revised design approach locates a new 55,000-square-foot building on the footprint of the existing 2500 building. It will provide laboratory and classroom space for Chemistry, Biology, Medical Lab Technology, Engineering, and Advanced Manufacturing. Separately, we are exploring opportunities in the emerging area of Bio-Manufacturing. The three-story structure will improve classroom and student study space, enhance program and faculty office space, and provide outdoor and indoor student gathering areas, including a small café. It will look south over an open space that preserves existing significant trees and landscaping.

Our Dental Hygiene program, including the clinic, is expected to be relocated to the first floor of the Pagoda Union Building (PUB), which will provide the program with better space and lighting, and will be easier for patients to access. We are currently exploring options for relocation of affected employees on the first floor of the PUB, including our campus store.

Ultimately, the revised design will accomplish even more than we had initially hoped – it will optimize the use of space, avoid relocating programs more than once, and most importantly, serve our students and community better.

The affected areas will continue to be involved in the design of the new spaces, with a tentative timeline to break ground on the building in winter 2020, provided that the project is included in the state capital budget that the legislature is now considering. I will continue to update the campus community about this exciting project as more information becomes available.

Respectfully,

Cheryl Roberts, Ed.D.

President