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We did it!
With your help and the support of our students and citizens across North
Carolina, the state's public universities and community colleges sent a
resounding message to our lawmakers on Election Day. More than 70 percent of
voters approved the higher education improvement bond referendum, reinforcing
the fact that the state that prides itself as the birthplace of public higher
education still values that important concept and remains convinced that it is
worth the investment.
To everyone here on campus who worked so hard to make sure the bonds passed
-- through your efforts to spread the word about their importance, as well as
your vote at the polls Nov. 7 -- I commend and thank you. Future generations of
Tar Heel students will benefit as the bonds forever change the face of this
campus.
The University also owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to the North
Carolina taxpayers, who recognized the dire needs of our state campuses and,
through their vote, entrusted us with the financial resources to make a
difference. Now it is incumbent upon us to be good stewards of the bond money
and to demonstrate what it will do for our universities and community colleges.
At Carolina, we must show citizens how a new science complex, renovated
classrooms, state-of-the-art laboratories, an expanded fiber optics network,
infrastructure improvements and our many other bond projects will make this
university -- and indeed, this state -- better prepared to meet future
challenges.
Although we will undoubtedly experience some growing pains as the bond
dollars are put to work across campus, staff have been at work for months
planning for the potential impact of the bond passage. Every step of the way we
will carefully consider the effect of construction on the campus community and
the University's primary missions of teaching, research and service.
Thanks to our extensive planning, bond-related construction and renovation
will begin soon. In many cases, we have designs already approved and we simply
await bidding of the projects. We expect to award several contracts within a
few weeks.
Bids have been received on the second phase of the Medical Biomolecular
Research Building, our first bond-related project. Construction should get
under way in January. We also expect to receive bids on two more projects
before the end of the year, including renovation of the R.B. House
Undergraduate Library, which lost funding last year as the state struggled to
fund Hurricane Floyd recovery efforts.
More than 75 capital projects, including ones receiving bond dollars and
ones funded by other sources, are being scheduled over the next seven years.
Extensive planning has gone into determining the timing and sequencing of each
project.
Facilities Planning staff members are doing everything possible to minimize
inconvenience, ease the impact of construction and keep the campus community
informed. They will continue to refine construction timetables, as well as meet
with units affected by these projects. To help keep the campus community aware
of pending construction, a new web site is expected to be launched in the near
future. Other ongoing communication also is planned.
Thanks to the approval of the bonds, Carolina truly stands on the brink of
a 21st century renaissance. With opportunity often comes challenges, but we
must keep our eyes on the long-term goal: an improved environment for us to
educate, discover and serve. Thank you all for helping to make this victory for
public education possible.
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