Gov. Dayton approves bonding bill

Minnesota State Mankato receives funding towards infrastructure development

David Bassey
Editor in Chief

Following the final days of the legislative session, Minnesota Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton approved a bonding bill to fund infrastructure development projects across Minnesota State.

Governor Dayton, who had deeply expressed concerns on using funding as a means for advancing political motives; had previously vetoed the bill and then passed it, mentioned in a press conference that the goal of this bond is to fix what we already have and maintain competitiveness in other sectors of the economy.

Among the $243 million requested for University of Minnesota and Minnesota State colleges and universities, $180 million will be used to maintain existing infrastructure.
Some of the projects this bill is set to fund include projects at Fort Snelling, mental health centers, clean water projects, Pillsbury Hall (University of Minnesota) and other across the Minnesota State college system.

Minnesota State Mankato was awarded $ 6.4 million of its capital request and aims to consolidate and re-purpose spaces previously utilized by the Clinical Sciences to benefit all students, faculty and staff at Minnesota State Mankato.

“This is a mix of deferred maintenance work, going in and renovating spaces moved into for the family sciences and we’re excited to make these changes to the new building and departments” said Richard Straka, Vice President, Finance & Administration.

Although the lead time is more, the work is set to commence next summer with the following areas:

1) Phase 2 of the Clinical Sciences Building (CSB) design to include solar panels to reduce campus electricity cost, reduce campus carbon footprint and provide more learning experiences for environmental and electrical engineering students,
2) Roof renovations in Wissink Hall,
3) Major renovations in the Family Consumer Sciences department.

With an increasing number of nursing and allied health majors, over 1900 students from five different departments and three divisions will benefit from the newer training labs.