Friday, April 14, 2000

UNC Wilmington will host a meeting of the legislature's Joint Select Committee on Higher Education Facilities Needs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Warwick Center. At this time, facilities needs will be presented by Fayetteville State University, UNC Pembroke, and UNC Wilmington. The group will go to Cape Fear Community College after its UNCW visit.

This committee was established by the General Assembly last year after extensive discussions about funding for university capital projects. Its purpose is to study the needs of UNC system institutions following a study by consultant Eva Klein that called for $6.9 billion in needed construction on the 16 campuses to accommodate a projected influx of 50,000 new students over the next 10 years. Approximately 60 percent of this capital funding would be provided by the state. The remainder would be provided from university receipts, private gifts, and other non-state sources. The Joint Select Committee will make recommendations to the General Assembly.

The visit to UNCW is the next to last meeting of the group that has been visiting community colleges and universities since March.

Higher education facility needs will be a major issue in the legislature during the short session as well as next year. Media are urged to attend this session to hear from the institutions as well as the committee members.