Plan for $9.56 million facitilty announced
Plans to lobby the state Legislature for funds to build a $9.56 million agriculture facility near Wellsville were announced by Noelle Cockett, dean of the College of Agriculture, at Tuesday’s meeting of the Associated Students of University Executive Council.
Cockett also announced plans to seek funding from the state to replace the current Agricultural Sciences Building.
Agricultural space near the university is being encroached upon by urban spread, Cockett said, and large amounts of the land used by the college has been designated as land used for the expansion of Innovation Campus from 38 acres to 150 acres.
“Seventy-seven of our structures will be displaced,” she said, “and until we move, Innovation Campus can’t grow.”
The new facility would be a huge benefit to agricultural students, Cockett said, because it would consolidate animal housing facilities and other structures, currently spread over several locations in both North Logan and near Wellsville at the Caine Dairy Farm, into one 400 acre location.
State-of-the-art equipment, classrooms, a cafeteria, graduate offices, laboratories and a possible Aggie Ice Cream store to appeal to draw in visitors entering the valley would all be part of the new facility, she said.
“This will be more than just the handling and housing of animals,” Cockett said.
The veterinary clinic and slaughter facility would also be moved from 1400 North to the new location.
“Other universities have found the same thing we have,” she said, “you just can’t keep animals close to campus.”
Cockett requested a resolution of support on behalf of the student body to use as a tool when she makes her presentation to the state Legislature. A resolution offering that voice of support, sponsored by Agricultural Senator Chad Warnick, passed unanimously.
“We do need help in telling the Legislature this is needed at Utah State,” Cockett said.
Warnick said the new facility will bring in prestigious faculty as well as dollars to the valley.
“We envision the recruiting of students into a great research program,” Cockett said.
Of the $178 million profit the university brings in from researcher, the College of Agriculture is the number two provider, Warnick said, and the new facility will allow that research to continue and grow. Warnick said the facility is also economically important to the state as USU is the only university in Utah that offers degrees in agriculture.
Tagg Archibald, ASUSU executive vice president, said support of the plan would not compete with lobbying efforts of the repeal of House Bill 331 the council is currently planning, and encouraged members of the council to support the resolution.
“This is vital to the university,” he said. “This won’t steal any thunder from H.B. 331.”
Obtaining support for funding is crucial, Cockett said, because if the funding does not take place, animals will have to be superimposed on already limited space and teaching programs and research will have to be cut.
Warnick said plans are being made to take students from the College of Agriculture to meet with the Legislature.
Concerning the replacement of the Agricultural Sciences building, Cockett said it is the highest building priority on the Board of Regents List.
“We have maxed out on safety points,” she said. “No major renovations have occurred since it was built in 1953.”
Safety concerns in the building include asbestos wall panels, overhead single-pane glass dating back to the building date lining the hallways, lack of adequate air handling systems and an overloaded electrical system.
Cockett said funding for the new building will be sought through a “typical” course in the state Legislature, and expects to see funding for the building soon considering the high safety risks the current building poses.
The new Agricultural Sciences building will be constructed where the Merrill Library currently stands, she said, and will benefit students from many majors as the new classrooms will hold classes from other departments that are squeezed for space.
Adam Christensen from the Utah State University Community Bike Coalition also made a presentation to the council.
Christensen presented changes to the USU walkway policy made in an effort to “reduce conflict and tension” between bicyclists and pedestrians, while accommodating for alternative modes of transportation.
The changes were reviewed and approved by USU Police Chief Steven Mecham, Christensen said.
Christensen said Mecham approved of the changes because the current policy, which bans bikes and other vehicles from campus during the day, is unenforceable, unpopular, unrealistic and hasn’t accomplished what it was intended to.
Christensen said he plans to present a plan to implement bike lanes on campus to the council at a later date which will make the university walkers safer for both pedestrians and bicyclists.
-bnelson@cc.usu.edu