I wanted to briefly update you on two construction projects: · Center for Family Medicine in Bismarck – As you probably know, the North Dakota Legislature recently approved funding to construct a new building in Bismarck to house the Center for Family Medicine. The Southwest Campus Administrative Offices will also be located there. A Building Committee is being formed, and will help coordinate the planning activities for the facility, in conjunction with staff from UND and in coordination with the State Board of Higher Education. · Additional basic science research space – Congress has given the National Institutes of Health an additional $1 billion of stimulus money to further develop the nation’s basic science research infrastructure. The SMHS has submitted a grant proposal that envisions a major addition to our basic science laboratory space. We are hopeful that a good chunk of those stimulus dollars will make their way to the School, UND, and North Dakota! The School’s major unmet facility need at present (assuming that the stimulus grant for building additional basic research space is successful, which clearly is an assumption) is for a building to consolidate our various allied health programs. Major funding would be needed for such a building, and unfortunately, no such funding currently is available. Nevertheless, such a facility is at the top of our “wish list” as we work with Tim O’Keefe, Diane Walters, and the rest of the development leadership at the UND Foundation to further expand the scope of gifts to the SMHS. |
