The Public Baccalaureate Prioritized Capital Project List
Washington State University stands in full support of the Public Baccalaureate Prioritized Capital Project List. In response to the 2003 Legislature’s enactment of Engrossed Substitute House Bill (ESHB) 2151, the Washington State public four-year institutions, in consultation with the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) and the Council of Presidents, have prepared a single prioritized capital project list for the 2005-07 biennium.
The four-year institutions, with assistance from the Council of Presidents, and in consultation with the HECB, met in a series of intensive meetings in a collaborative negotiated process to develop the Public Baccalaureate Prioritized Capital Project List. This single prioritized list, which reflects the broad public interest as well as the interests and priorities of the individual institutions, has been approved by all six of the Boards of Regents and Trustees of the respective institutions, including:
Central Washington University Washington State University
Eastern Washington University Western Washington University
The Evergreen State College The University of Washington
This single list not only complies with ESHB 2151, but meets the highest priority needs of all six of the State’s four-year institutions, and is also consistent with the HECB Capital Budget Criterion Framework. Additionally, the list reflects the common project definitions jointly developed by the HECB, the Governor’s Office of Financial Management, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee, and the State’s higher education institutions.
Each institution’s respective mission, strategic plan, and ten-year capital plan provides the basis for the individual projects prioritized in this common list. In developing this list, the baccalaureate institutions have respected the fiduciary responsibilities vested in their individual Boards, and therefore, the list represents a request for funding from state general obligation bonds and Gardner-Evans bonds.
The prioritized list is based on an essential State funding request for the four-year institutions of approximately $504 million, which the institutions listed above agree represents the funding level necessary to maintain, preserve, renovate, renew, and build capacity at public baccalaureate institutions to meet the higher education needs of Washington’s citizens.
Priorities of Government
The buildings in the WSU request are important to the state because of the activities they house: research and instruction. Both are of utmost importance not only to the students and industries directly affected, but also to the continued economic wellbeing of the state. The capital projects proposed in this request address several of the desired results identified by the Priorities of Government statewide teams:
Statewide Result #3: Improve the value of postsecondary learning.
The preservation, infrastructure and minor capital projects are necessary to maintain and modernize facilities to support instruction and to accommodate the technology needed to prepare students for careers in a rapidly changing economy. The biotechnology/life sciences building, the Tri-cities bioproducts building and the Riverpoint nursing center all provide specialized space to train undergraduate and graduate students in high demand fields.
Statewide Result #4: Improve the health of Washington citizens.
The State has a severe nursing shortage. A new facility is needed to expand production of nurses and nurse educators. The quality of public health depends on university research in biotechnology and related fields – research that will take place in the biotechnology/life sciences building and the Riverpoint nursing center.
Statewide Result #6: Improve the economic vitality of businesses and individuals.
The bioproducts facility is a private/public partnership to drive economic development by providing the critical research space to develop and demonstrate the conversion of low-value agricultural products and byproducts into value-added products.
Statewide Result #9: Improve the quality of Washington’s natural resources:
The wastewater reclamation project will substitute wastewater for well water in irrigation and other uses, thereby protecting and preserving the aquifer now and in the future.
Washington State University Priorities
Consistent with the 2004 Supplemental Capital Budget, the Spokane Academic Center building on the Riverpoint Campus remains the highest priority for Washington State University. The 2004 Legislature provided construction funding and construction is underway. The building is scheduled for completion in May 2006.
The 2005 – 2007 biennial request is driven by the WSU strategic plan. The strategic plan commits the university to offer the best undergraduate experience at a research university and to provide a world-class environment for research, scholarship, graduate education and the arts. Achieving these goals requires modern specialized instructional and research facilities. The capital request is a balance between preservation and capacity expansion, between main campus and other campus projects, and between research and instruction. It focuses on providing space that will support world-class programs in the biological sciences and education throughout the University system.
DESCRIPTION OF 2005-07 FUNDING REQUESTS:
BIOTECHNOLOGY/LIFE SCIENCES (R&EC#2) $57.1M :
In 2005-07, construction of the BIOTECHNOLOGY/LIFE SCIENCES (R&EC#2) will provide space for the Center for Integrated Biotechnology, aid interdisciplinary efforts, and enhance biotechnology research and industry interactions. Existing facilities are outdated and building systems cannot support the current programs. This is the second building in a multi-phase Research and Education Center (R&EC) and critical to the university’s strategic plan.
WASTEWATER RECLAMATION PROJECT $12.7M :
Funding the WASTEWATER RECLAMATION PROJECT will allow completion of the design, construction of the facilities at the treatment plant and the distribution pipeline. The project will reclaim over 1 million gallons of wastewater per day, reduce well draw down by equivalent amount and reduce Grande Ronde Aquifer draw down.
TRI-CITIES BIOPRODUCTS FACILITY $13.1M :
The TRI-CITIES BIOPRODUCTS FACILITY is slated for construction in 2005-07. Project funding is comprised of a combination of public and private funds. Undergraduate and graduate students will be working directly with WSU and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) researchers to develop technologies that convert low-value agricultural waste (straw, manure) into value-added products (plastics, pharmaceuticals).
BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES (R&EC#4) $7.4M :
A request for design funding (construction scheduled for 2007-09) for the BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES (R&EC#4) is slated for 2005-07. The building will replace crowded, outdated spaces with a modern facility for targeted programs like neuroscience, pharmacology, cancer research and toxicology.
RIVERPOINT NURSING CENTER $31.6M :
Funding for construction of the RIVERPOINT NURSING CENTER in Spokane is essential to our strategic plan. The new facility will allow the College of Nursing to move to the Riverpoint campus and provide modern teaching and research space for the
growing undergraduate and graduate programs. Relocating at Riverpoint will allow significant efficiencies in sharing campus services and facilities.
MAJOR UTILITY UPGRADES $6M :
MAJOR UTILITY UPGRADES are required. Upgrades to the North Campus (ELEC) Substation ($5M) and East Campus Chiller ($1M design) are necessary to meet current demand on utility systems and to accommodate construction in the northeast section of the Pullman campus.
DESCRIPTION OF POOLED PROJECTS
PRESERVATION MINOR $65M :
The large number of older WSU buildings requires a substantial investment for PRESERVATION, RENOVATION and RENEWAL ($40M). Samples of preservation projects include replacement or repair of elevators, roofs, fire alarms, HVAC, pumps, masonry, windows, flooring, painting, and predesigns for future building renovations.
The minor works request includes HEALTH, SAFETY, & CODE ($3M) projects needed to protect students, faculty, staff and visitors and to comply with occupational/public health, and environmental regulations. Examples include fire and emergency telephone systems, fumehood/Bio safety improvements, removal and disposal of PCBs, and drinking water system security.
Investment in campus INFRASTRUCTURE ($22M) is essential. Some water, steam, electrical and sewer systems are at capacity and will not support future development. Examples include the electrical power distribution, steam, chilled water, domestic water system, wells, storm and sanitary sewers. Funding is critical for the repair and renewal of roadways, pedestrian malls, walks and street lighting. Infrastructure also includes the computing and telecommunications infrastructure for voice, video and data networks, administrative systems, classroom technologies and computing platforms and servers, fiber and cable plants and network electronics.
PROGRAM MINOR $17M :
In addition to preserving existing facilities and infrastructure, minor works funding allows the University to improve facilities to accommodate PROGRAM ($8M) growth and change. Because the academic environment is extremely dynamic, funding for the remodel of classroom and laboratory spaces, in particular, is vital. Omnibus EQUIPMENT ($9M) funding is also requested to improve, upgrade or replace instructional, research and support apparatus and farm and field equipment.
