Governor to visit UNC Charlotte for bond bill signing

October 21, 2015
Categories: General News Tags: Chancellor

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory will visit UNC Charlotte this week for a ceremonial bill signing to authorize the state to ask voters to approve $2 billion in bonds for economic development and infrastructure projects. The bond issue will be included on the state’s primary election ballot on March 15, 2016.

Included in the package is a proposed new $90 million science building at UNC Charlotte. University leaders have cited the dramatic growth at the institution, notably in the sciences, math and engineering fields.

The ceremonial bill signing, scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, in the PORTAL Building, is part of a two-day swing by the governor through the state highlighting the bond projects. Prior to his stop on the UNC Charlotte campus on Thursday, a similar ceremony will be take place at Stone Mountain State Park in Wilkes County.

Along with Chancellor Philip L. Dubois, students, faculty and other University officials, the governor will be greeted by state Rep. Dean Arp, who earned a master’s degree in civil engineering from UNC Charlotte in 1999. Arp was a key architect and sponsor of the bond proposal.

Students from the CMS Charlotte Early Engineering College located on the UNC Charlotte campus will be in attendance, too.

Several other UNC Charlotte alumni also played key roles in getting the proposed bond package to the governor’s desk, including Sen. Bob Rucho and Reps. Bill Brawley, Mike Hager and Jason Saine.

If the bond is approved by voters, the following projects will benefit from funding:

  • $980 million for various building renovations and construction for new buildings on University of North Carolina campuses
  • $350 million for construction, repairs and renovations at N.C. Community Colleges
  • $312.5 million for local parks and infrastructure
  • $70 million for Readiness Centers for the National Guard
  • $179 million for two agricultural projects at N.C. State University and Agriculture and Consumer Services
  • $100 million for state parks and attractions
  • $8.5 million for the Samarcand Training Academy in Moore County

According to the UNC Charlotte administration, the bond package is critical to the University’s growth. Some 46 percent of the enrollment growth in the entire UNC system during the past six years is attributable to UNC Charlotte.

Dubois noted that enrollment has grown 142 percent since the Burson Building — one of the University’s oldest facilities — was built and more than 50 percent of students with declared majors are in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields.

Burson remains one of the more overcrowded and outdated classroom and lab buildings on campus.

The governor’s tour began Wednesday at N.C. State University and a visit to Lenoir Community College in Kinston.