University Park, Pa. -- Penn State's Board of Trustees today (Sept. 19) authorized the University to request $130.7 million from the Pennsylvania Legislature for a number of future capital projects.
Each year at this time, Penn State provides a status of its overall five-year capital plan and presents a capital budget request to the Board of Trustees for approval. Following approval by the board, the request is submitted to the Commonwealth Department of Education for further consideration by the state Legislature. The capital budget request consists of those projects for which the University is seeking authorization for subsequent funding by the governor.
The fiscal year 2009-10 capital budget request approved by the Board includes $124.9 million for construction projects and $5.8 million for original equipment. The construction projects include $19.7 million of additional funding to construct and equip a replacement for Fenske Building, currently home of the Department of Chemical Engineering; $26 million for Henning Building and Chemical Ecology Lab renovations; $45 million to construct and equip additions, replacements and repair of the greenhouses; and Phase V of the University Park Capital Renewal Plan, which focuses $40 million for necessary upgrades to some of the campus' 600-plus buildings constructed 30 or more years ago.
"The capital budget request is an important component of Penn State’s planning process," said Albert Horvath, vice president for finance and business. “These dollars are needed to retain the quality of our programs, and to allow our students to be educated in facilities that are up-to-date and provide the best opportunities for learning.”