UWG News Item
Contact: UWG Public Relations Office
Phone (678) 839-6464, FAX (678) 839-6645
ucm@westga.edu
UWG receives funding for new building
May 12, 2006
CARROLLTON, GA - The University of West Georgia received a $29 million thumbs up from state legislators this week for construction of a new Health, Wellness and Lifelong Learning Center (HWLLC) and for an addition to the Callaway Building, which houses the Department of Geosciences. Gov. Sonny Perdue signed the 2006-07 budget and an amended 2005-06 budget on May 8.
Funds
allotted for the HWLLC total $24,265,000. The center has been in the planning
process for almost seven years. The proposed project is a 166,000-square-foot
facility to house classrooms and labs for the Department of Nursing and
the Department of Physical Education, and office and classroom space for
the Department of Continuing Education. The project also includes a gymnasium,
pool and ball courts and will provide space for commencement ceremonies.
The gymnasium will have a capacity of approximately 7,000 people.
Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna, professor of business administration and president of UWG, acknowledged the many contributions that made the two projects possible.
“As we look forward to breaking ground for these facilities, we are indebted to all those friends and alumni who worked closely with our professional staff throughout the legislative session,” said Sethna. “The emails, letters, and personal visits to the Capitol on behalf of the University of West Georgia were important factors in gathering support for these projects.
“We are also grateful to the governor and to the General Assembly and particularly the leadership provided by Sen. Bill Hamrick and Rep. Mark Butler, for the demonstration of a commitment to higher education and their support for the University of West Georgia.”
Funds allotted for the Callaway Building addition total $4.7 million. Plans call for an additional 30,000 square feet of space for laboratories, classrooms, lecture halls and offices. The Callaway Building, which was built in 1962, is approximately 21,500 square feet.
The addition will be a welcome change for students and faculty in their research and individual class work, said Dr. Curtis Hollabaugh, professor and chair of the Department of Geosciences.
“Students will greatly benefit by all the new laboratories,” said Hollabaugh. “The faculty in Geosciences have always involved students in their research and encourage independent undergraduate research that ends with award-winning student presentations at state, regional and national levels.”
The new addition will include lab space that will support faculty and student research on projects such as water quality in local drinking water supplies, coastal geology and hurricane impact studies.
For more information, call 678-839-6643.
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