New Health Sciences Building at Kennesaw State approved by Board of Regents
A $60 million Health Sciences Building that will allow Kennesaw State University to increase its…
Georgia (Aug 8, 2006) — New Health Sciences Building at Kennesaw State approved by Board of Regents
Frances Weyand
Abstract
Contact: Frances Weyand‚ Director of University Relations‚ 770−423−6203 or fweyand@kennesaw.edu
KENNESAW‚ Ga. (Aug. 8‚ 2006) — A $60 million Health Sciences Building that will allow
Kennesaw State University to increase its number of nursing majors by 50 percent was
approved for funding by the Board of Regents Tuesday after being added to a list of
funding priorities for fiscal year 2008 in June.
The university has committed to raising $13 million in private funds while the remaining
amount will be funded by the state.
“The inclusion of our new building on the Board of Regents’ capital list is a huge
step forward for Kennesaw State and is the result of a lot of hard work by many people‚”
said President Daniel S. Papp. “The new building will help us significantly increase
the number of nurses and other health professionals we graduate‚ showing that Kennesaw
and the university system are truly responsive to the needs of the people and the
state of Georgia.”
According to Vice Chancellor Linda Daniels‚ this new priority list‚ which includes
a school of dentistry at the Medical College of Georgia and a new library at Georgia
Gwinnett College‚ diverges from the traditional capital list to focus on projects
meeting critical strategic needs in the state.
One of those needs is for more nurses‚ according to WellStar College of Health and
Human Services Dean Richard Sowell.
“This new building will make all the difference in our ability to grow and respond
to the nursing shortage in Georgia‚” he said. “It will have a major impact on the
state‚ especially north Georgia.”
When complete‚ the proposed five−story Health Sciences Building will be the largest
building on campus at 190‚000 square feet. Furnished with the latest technology‚ it
will feature a 300−seat auditorium‚ large tiered classrooms‚ standard classrooms‚
seminar rooms‚ distance−learning classrooms‚ study areas‚ faculty offices and science
labs.
In addition to benefiting the WellStar College of Health and Human Services‚ the new
building will also provide more space for the College of Science and Mathematics.
“The instructional lab space in the building for our biological and chemical sciences
degree is critical to their continued growth and the strategic needs of the biomedical
and biotechnology industries here in Georgia‚” Dean Larry Peterson said.
Construction could begin at the end of next summer and be complete by August 2009‚
according to John Anderson‚ director of facility planning and design service. The
Health Sciences Building will be located next to the existing nursing building‚ which
will then be reconfigured for other purposes‚ he added.
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Kennesaw State University is a comprehensive‚ residential institution with a growing
student population approaching 20‚000 from 132 countries. The third largest state
university out of 35 institutions in the University System of Georgia‚ Kennesaw State
offers more than 60 graduate and undergraduate degrees‚ including a brand new Doctorate
of Education in Leadership.
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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 126 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.