The University of Nebraska Board of Regents unanimously approved UNMC’s vision of the future.
On Friday, the board agreed with the goals and planning concepts of UNMC’s 2006-2015 Facilities Development Plan, which strategically forecasts the physical environment needed for UNMC to accomplish its goals for increased research, expanded patient care and state-of-the-art education.
UNMC’s vision is to build a new comprehensive cancer center, additional research towers, more clinical facilities for patient care and new education facilities. That vision will be strategically configured with the campus core – a crossroads for clinical care, education and patient services – flanked by UNMC research laboratories on the west and academic classrooms on the east.
Regents will vote on individual construction projects as they develop.
On Friday, the board also approved renovating Poynter Hall, a six-level masonry building that has been in service since its construction in 1912. The renovation, scheduled to begin in July 2007, will include updating the generally obsolete mechanical distribution, plumbing and electrical systems, as well as bring the building into compliance with current building, fire and life-safety, Americans with Disabilities act and energy codes.
Approximately 20,000 net square feet of space on levels three through six will be renovated to provide a dedicated location for patient-oriented research, graduate level education in clinical research and the newly developed Minority Health Education and Research Office. The building will continue to house operations for the Nebraska Anatomical Board.
Renovation should end in August 2008. Funding for the $7 million project is from LB605 funds.
In other UNMC-related business the board:
- Approved an agreement with the City of Omaha to conduct a feasibility study for the relocation of Saddle Creek Road on the western edge of the UNMC campus. The board also approved HDR Engineering, Inc., as the engineering consultant that will conduct the study.
- Approved the creation of a department of emergency medicine at UNMC. Since 1997, emergency medicine has been a section assigned to the UNMC Department of Surgery. The department chairman will be named at a later date.
- Renamed the Center for Human Molecular Genetics to the Center for Molecular Genetics and Genomics.
- Approved the installation of a 2,500-ton chiller in the East Utility Plant.
- Approved the issuance of bonds for the Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education.
- Approved the selection of Alley Poyner Architecture, P.C., to provide architectural design services for the renovation of Bennett Hall.