UC APPLAUDS GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL TO ACCELERATE CAPITAL PROJECTS

University of California President Richard C. Atkinson today (Jan. 9) applauded Gov. Gray Davis' proposal to accelerate several UC facilities projects as a key piece of his statewide economic stimulus package.

"Accelerating these projects will provide construction jobs in the short term, and the education and research that will occur in the completed buildings will be a catalyst for California's economic growth over the longer term," Atkinson said. "Governor Davis has proposed a wise, far-sighted investment in higher education for the benefit of the state's overall economic health."

The proposal, announced by the governor in a press conference at UC Davis, calls for the acceleration of seven UC projects. Under the governor's proposal, construction funds for the projects would be provided in the current fiscal year, rather than in 2002-03 as previously expected.

If the proposal is approved by the Legislature, the $279 million in funding for the accelerated projects will be provided through state lease-revenue bonds.

The seven projects are needed to accommodate rapidly expanding UC student enrollments and, in the case of the UC Davis project, to meet accreditation standards. The projects are:

• Veterinary Medicine 3A at UC Davis - a teaching and research building needed to upgrade facilities for the School of Veterinary Medicine ($66.1 million)
  
  
• Natural Sciences Unit 2 at UC Irvine - an interdisciplinary laboratory building for the Schools of Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences ($55.3 million)
  
  
• Infrastructure Development at UC Merced ($16.4 million)
  
  
• Engineering Building Unit 2 at UC Riverside - an engineering building providing space for teaching and research laboratories and departmental support ($35.7 million)
  
  
• Engineering Building Unit 3B at UC San Diego - a facility providing new space for engineering, computer science and other disciplines at Warren College ($37.4 million)
  
  
• Life Sciences Building at UC Santa Barbara - a laboratory building providing modern instruction and research space for biological sciences programs ($26.9 million)
  
  
• Engineering Building at UC Santa Cruz - an engineering building providing research, classroom and departmental space ($41.2 million)

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