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November 27 , 2006
Board approves funds to move forward with academic and student initiatives

staff reports

At its November meeting, the Board of Trustees allocated next phase funding of $34 million to move forward with new facilities for Candler School of Theology, the Center for Ethics, psychology, freshman residence halls on the main campus, and Oxford College.

“The Board of Trustees has reaffirmed the University’s commitment to the humanities and social sciences, and to creating a vibrant campus life for students,” Provost Earl Lewis said. “This phase of funding will enable us to take an enormous leap in moving forward with the priorities outlined in the strategic plan and campus plan update, and in fulfilling the goals of individual schools and units.”

Trustees approved the required funding of $28.5 million to complete construction of Phase I of the Candler and Ethics Center project, bringing the total budget to $34 million, which will be financed by Candler reserves, theology and Ethics Center gifts, and university funds.

Russ Richey, outgoing dean of Candler, said he was “delighted that the board affirmed Candler’s building plans, seen their importance to the continued movement of Candler to preeminence among American theological schools, and reaffirmed their commitment to a university match of funding.”

Jan Love, dean-designate of Candler, added, “It’s wonderful to have this kind of support from Emory trustees in building a terrific facility for both teaching and for enhancing faculty and student community life.”

For the new psychology building, the board approved next phase funding of $1.9 million for design and other costs, bringing the total project budget to about $3.1 million to date.

The psychology department currently is housed in several locations across campus. “We want to come together to create a more vital intellectual community, in one building,” said Robyn Fivush, S. C. Dobbs Professor and chair of the psychology department.

She added that the new building will provide state-of-the-art teaching and lab facilities. It also will house an imaging center that will impact the department’s work with the “neuroscience, human nature and society” initiative of the strategic plan. Fivush envisions collaborative work with researchers outside of the psychology department and an opportunity to expand psychology programs.

The board authorized the University to proceed with several residence hall projects, approving a budget of $1.9 million for the design development phase of the Freshman Halls 2 and 3 project on the main campus (bringing the total budget to about $2.1), and allocating $2 million for the design phase of a residence hall on the Oxford campus.

The new Oxford residence hall complex is just the first step in improving the quality of student housing, Oxford Dean Stephen Bowen said. The hall will provide 350 beds and will include Student Health Services and the Student Counseling and Career Center.

“Everyone is delighted, from students to alumni,” Bowen said. “The students have done beautifully in making use of the space we have, but we want to create an environment that is more conducive to serious study.”
Bowen said that groundbreaking for the new building is anticipated by late spring 2007.

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