University to receive $19.5 million from state for new 'Center of Integrated Health Studies'
Central Michigan University's College of Medicine sits adjacent to the College of Health Care Professions, on the east side of campus.
State legislators voted Wednesday to give Central Michigan University $19.5 million to build a new Center for Integrated Health Studies.
According to a press release Thursday, the center will address significant student demand and expand health care expertise and services across the state and in medically underserved areas. Additionally, it will allow CMU to expand its physical therapy, physician assistant, audiology and speech-language pathology programs.
Those programs have been at capacity for more than a decade due to space limitations, per the release.
The center is expected to cost $26 million. It will be 62,000 square feet and will be an addition to the Health Professions Building.
"This investment in the students of CMU will increase the health and wellness of families and communities across the state," CMU President George Ross said in the release. "We thank Speaker of the House Kevin Cotter, Rep. Nancy Jenkins and Sen. Darwin Booher, co-chairs of the Joint Capital Outlay Committee, and Al Pscholka, chair of the House Appropriations Committee. Their leadership and commitment to the residents of Michigan is clear once again with the approval of this funding."
The renovation and addition will provide opportunities for interdisciplinary programs within the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions, biomedical engineering within the College of Science and Engineering, and health information management within the College of Business Administration, according to the release.
The budget has already been approved by the Senate and House.
CMU Assistant Director of Public Relations Mackenzie Kastl said architectural design and construction planning for the new center will begin after Gov. Rick Snyder endorses the proposed budget. The initial phase will take more than a year, she said.
The $19.5 million is from the state's $55 billion budget.
"We thank the legislators and Gov. Snyder, in advance of his signature, for making the tough choices," said Kathy Wilbur in the release, CMU vice president of government and external relations. "Education is one of the most critical investments we can make to shore up the economic future and well-being of this state, its residents and businesses."
