New COE Building request

http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2017/10/03/famu-fsu-college-engineering-seeking-funding-third-building/726119001/

The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering wants a new building to accommodate more students, research, classrooms and student activities. 

 

A third building, identified as “Building C,” would add 104,000 square feet of new space to meet the needs of the existing 2,550 students.

Dean. J. Murray Gibson said the new building also will help increase overall enrollment and the number of graduates. The college’s current graduate numbers of 539 could be increased to 750, with a reduction in the time to graduate.

Gibson made his pitch to the Board of Governors facilities committee Tuesday, as he sought support for $15.2 million in construction money requested by both universities toward the project.

The total cost of construction is $87 million with funding provided through 2021.

Both universities have included a line item of $15.2 million in construction money in the 2018-2019 requests for planning and construction and repairs to the two existing buildings.

Committee members didn't raise any questions or concerns about the request, made during an afternoon of listening to construction request from representatives of the state's public universities.

Florida International University is seeking $53 million for its $150-million engineering building project, and the University of Central Florida is requesting $17.7 million for its engineering building.

The committee did not vote on the requests, which will be discussed further during the full Board of Governor's meeting in November.

“I am very grateful that FAMU and FSU recognize the high-priority space needs of the college, and the potential for the college to better serve its student population,” Gibson said in a recent interview. “New spaces for development of senior design projects, innovative classrooms, maker space and research/entrepreneurial facilities will improve student success and increase the spin-off economic impact for the region.”

The idea for a third building at the joint college was first proposed in 2002, but it never got approved for public education capital outlay funding or PECO funding. Declining enrollment was a factor, as well as cost and organization of the dual-college.

But in recent years, enrollment has grown. The college is now supervised by the Joint Management Council, which includes the presidents, provosts and vice presidents for finance and administration from both universities and chaired by Chancellor Marshall Criser III. Research funding is expected to double in the future to $40 million annually.

Other local construction requests heard Tuesday included:

• Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science Building, FSU: $13 million, that would go toward completion of the construction.
• Interdisciplinary Research & Commercialization Building, FSU: $27 million
• College of Business Legacy Hall, FSU: $10 million. FSU President John Thrasher said $10.5 million already has been raised for the $88-million project.
• STEM Teaching Lab Building, FSU: $6.8 million
• FAMU Center for Access and Student Success Building: $21.4 million.

FAMU received $16 million toward planning and construction last year. About $13 million is being held until further funding becomes available. 

At September’s joint council meeting, Thrasher urged the BOG staff and Gibson to “be bold” in making the engineering school's request.

“It’s what we ought to be doing,” Thrasher said. “This building will have a huge impact on FSU and FAMU. If you’re thinking $50 million and really need $80 million, go for $80 million. I would hate to miss the opportunity to get it before the Legislature this session.”

The concept also was recently approved in an Educational Plant Survey required by the Board of Governors every five years that reviews space needs for campuses.

The review was conducted by representatives from FSU, FAMU, the Board of Governors and facilities representatives from other state system universities.The BOG's facilities committee approved the report Tuesday morning without discussion.

“The team, which includes facilities representatives from other SUS universities, simply evaluated our space needs based on our current space and enrollments,” Gibson said. “This analysis, which is based on state and national norms regarding square feet per enrolled student, concluded that we are in need of an additional 106,000 net assignable square feet to support our existing enrollment of 2,550 students.”