Thursday, January 10, 2002

WILMINGTON, NC – Since its inception just three-and-a-half years ago, efforts of the Office of Federal Programs (OFP) at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington have generated more than $5.5 million in appropriated federal and other funds for research, construction and operational costs of university programs. Counting Congressional add-ons for the present fiscal year, the office has raised $5,792,000 with other funding possible in the next month.

These funds are in addition to the annual appropriations to the National Undersea Research Program and other federal programs that existed prior to the establishment of OFP. UNC Wilmington’s total annual federal contracts and grants for the year ending June 30, 2001, was $13,126,648.

OFP was created to address the growing needs at the university to develop and support new research and service programs through Congressional and federal agency partnerships. Two prominent programs at UNCW -- mariculture and coastal research and monitoring -- were initiated by the OFP and continue to grow, making major contributions to the nation. OFP also assisted the School of Nursing establishing rural health care facilities and educational programs in under-served regions of southeastern North Carolina.

Robert Wicklund, director of OFP stated, “ The success of this program can be directly attributed to the university’s policy of creative freedom and the support given to this venture through the offices of the chancellor and provost not only to bring in funds, but to identify and build programs from the beginning.”

Total funding and sources for each program are as follows:

Mariculture- $1,334,000 from the Department of Agriculture

Coastal monitoring program- $2,998,000 (includes $250,000 of federal funds to be transferred from a partnership with the University of South Carolina which is also receiving coastal funding this year) and from the Department of Commerce (NOAA)

Rural health care- $320,000 (includes operational funds for a facility in Navassa and construction funds for a facility in Bolton) from the Departments of Health and Human Services and Housing and Urban Development

National Undersea Research Program -- $300,000 from the Department of Commerce (NOAA) to support the Aquarius undersea laboratory and $840,000 from a private foundation.

“Our congressional delegation, especially Senators John Edwards and Jesse Helms, and Representative Mike McIntyre have recognized the important work that UNCW is doing. They and their staffs have been exceptionally responsive to our requests for help to obtain funds,” said Wicklund.

Wicklund can be reached for comment at 540/962-8629 or uncwdc@aol.com. Locally, Mark Lanier, special assistant to the chancellor for public affairs and administration, can be reached at 910/962-3030 or lanierm@uncwil.edu.