UW trustees mull new engineering, applied science facilities

University of Wyoming Trustees met today to discuss the construction of new College of Engineering and Applied Science facilities.  Lawmakers set aside matching money this year to get the project started.

UW Associate Provost Andy Hansen says the current facilities don't meet the students’ needs.

"Those facilities that are built in 1925 and 1927 are unacceptable for a modern-day laboratory,” Hansen said. “We simply don’t even have the power infrastructure to support new laboratories in the building. There’s a whole host of other challenges that go with that. But at the end of the day the engineering building are about laboratories and our laboratory space, we ran out decades ago, actually."    

Hansen said that modern facilities are necessary in order to recruit the best faculty and students. Architectural planning for the project will start this summer. Fundraising for the 100 million dollar building is underway.