Ivy Tech Community College-Wabash Valley Region will benefit from $8 million in state funding to build a new facility for its Greencastle campus.
The Indiana Legislature approved bonding authority to build the facility during its recently concluded session.
“We’re just thrilled to death,” said Jeff Pittman, chancellor of Ivy Tech-Wabash Valley Region. Greencastle is part of the Wabash Valley Region.
Ivy Tech has run out of space in its leased facility, the former IBM building in Greencastle, he said. The city has donated 30 acres on which to erect the new building.
Planning efforts involving an architect and construction manager will resume next week on the proposed 40,000-square-foot, two-story building. The Legislature previously approved planning money.
Ivy Tech also will conduct a capital campaign to raise between $1.2 million to $1.5 million, both for construction and equipment, Pittman said.
Groundbreaking could begin as early as spring of 2008, with construction taking about 18 months, he said. He described that timeline as a conservative estimate.
The Greencastle campus has about 500 students, but enrollment is expected to grow significantly with a new facility, Pittman said.
The new, two-year state budget approved by the Legislature provides Ivy Tech Community College statewide with a 6.4 percent increase in operating funds this year and a 6 percent increase next year.
In addition, the Legislature provided Ivy Tech $163 million in capital cash and/or bonding authority for 10 different projects to expand current facilities and build new facilities around the state, including the Greencastle facility.
“We are pleased that the General Assembly recognized our need for new and improved classroom and laboratory facilities,” President Gerald I. Lamkin said in a news release.
In the operating budget, full funding of the enrollment change formula was critical for Ivy Tech. Between 1998-99 and 2005-06, Ivy Tech’s full-time equivalent enrollment has grown by 81 percent.
Additional state funding through the enrollment change formula will allow Ivy Tech to add new full-time faculty and other staff necessary to serve the growing number of students.
The added funding for enrollment growth “is critical to us and will be helpful” in hiring more full-time faculty and developing new programs in the Wabash Valley Region, Pittman said.
Statewide, Ivy Tech also is proposing to raise student fees 3.9 percent each of the next two years.
For a full-time student enrolled in 15 credit hours per semester, the current 2006-07 student fee rate is $87.75 per credit hour with a $40 per semester technology fee.
Proposed rates are $91.30 per credit hour and a $40 per semester technology fee for the 2007-08 academic year and $95 per credit hour and a $40 per semester technology fee for the 2008-09 academic year.
The cost for full-time students will increase by $53.25 per semester in 2007-08 and by $55.50 per semester in 2008-09.
The increased revenue will go toward hiring additional full-time faculty, increased health insurance costs, improved information technology, implementing new academic programs, faculty and staff wage increases, utility costs and costs associated with the opening of new facilities.
Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.
Local & Bistate
Ivy Tech building $8 million facility
Legislature approves money for Greencastle campus
- Local & Bistate
-
-
Magnolia gives in on rezoning
A potential $20-million investment in Terre Haute’s east side has been blocked by public opposition.
-
Expert sees ‘slow slog’ ahead for economy
While optimism flickers, the Wabash Valley and Indiana economy may see a “slow slog” this year amid a flat housing market, unemployment and political unrest.
-
Komen move won’t affect Indiana Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood of Indiana will not be affected by Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s decision to halt grant funding to Planned Parenthood affiliates nationwide.
-
Council discusses ideas for memorial ways
The Terre Haute City Council Thursday night discussed possible new rules for designating “memorial ways” in the community.
-
Madonna prepares our halftime feast
Suddenly, she arrived, with her famous bleached blond hair, the almond-shaped eyes, the ruby-red lips.
-
An advocate for the truth
The truth of the matter is, lying has consequences.
Pulitzer Prize winning author and New York Times columnist James B. Stewart offered an honest look at the trend of dishonesty inside Tilson Auditorium Thursday. His new book, “Tangled Webs: How False Statements are Undermining America: From Martha Stewart to Bernie Madoff” was featured as part of Indiana State University’s speaker series.
-
Super Bowl officials arrest "web pirate"
NFL Super Bowl officials were hoping to score some major media attention with the arrest of a “web pirate” accused of illegally streaming sporting events over the Internet.
-
Indy Super Bowl has cold-crisis master plan
Eager to avoid the winter-weather disaster that hit last year’s Super Bowl, this year’s host city has developed a cold-crisis master plan.
-
Steve Weatherford’s gifts keep on coming to hometown
The first time Steve Weatherford rolled through the New York Giants locker room with a laundry cart, collecting castoff tennis shoes and cleats, he made sure to tell teammates he wasn’t selling their stuff on eBay.
-
Shooting, chase leads to 23-year sentence
A Brazil man received a 23-year prison sentence for a 2010 incident in which he shot at Terre Haute Police during a car chase on the city’s east side.
-
State police release stats on K-9 work
More than $3 million in cash along with thousands of pounds of illegal drugs were removed from criminal enterprises in 2011 through the Indiana State Police K-9 program.
-
Linton-based Guard unit prepares for deployment
An Indiana National Guard unit from the southern part of the state that was deployed twice to Iraq since 2003 is now preparing to be deployed to Afghanistan.
-
Magnolia drops retirement complex plans for Ohio Boulevard
The company that had been hoping to build a new senior living complex along Ohio Boulevard has canceled its plans.
-
One million dollars won’t change Greencastle man
According to Michael Comer of Greencastle, winning $1 million on a Hoosier Lottery scratch-off ticket won’t change anything about him. And, if his initial reaction is any indication, he is telling the truth.
-
Greene County General Hospital announces expansion, renovations
Construction is expected to start in early spring on a new $6.5 million expansion-renovation of the Greene County General Hospital.
-
Renovations finished, airport prepared for Super Bowl traffic
The Super Bowl may be a few days off, but the “touchdowns” have already started at Terre Haute International Airport — Hulman Field.
-
MARK BENNETT: Super Bowl luck? His is mostly bad
I’ve learned to take a Seinfeld approach to Super Bowls.
In a flash of clairvoyance, Jerry excitedly reminded buddy George Costanza that “if every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right.” -
Ohio Blvd. rezoning draws opposition
Opponents of a planned senior-living complex on Ohio Boulevard near Deming Park showed up in force at Wednesday night’s Vigo County Area Plan Commission meeting.
-
Child molestation charges filed against Terre Haute man
Two counts of class-A felony child molestation have been filed against a Terre Haute man arrested last week on child pornography charges after police received a tip that he was offering a child for sex via instant messaging.
-
CASA kids among many receiving funds from trust
Because of the generosity of four long-ago leaders in Terre Haute, some at-risk children today can participate in extra-curricular activities that they couldn’t otherwise afford.
-
Speaker tries to educate others about Islam
A 36-year-old orthodox Muslim, Zohra Sarwari frequently confronts misconceptions and stereotypes — even prejudice — when she is in public.
-
Law firm offering rides home
The Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin law firm plans to sponsor free taxi rides home from bars and restaurants to those who who have too much to drink on Super Bowl Sunday.
-
City woman facing arson charge
A Terre Haute woman faces a charge of arson related to a Jan. 10 apartment building fire in the 600 block of South Center Street.
-
Indiana joins right-to-work ranks, governor signs bill
Indiana has become the first Rust Belt state to enact the contentious right-to-work labor law prohibiting labor contracts that require workers to pay union representation fees.
-
VIDEO: Steve Weatherford homecoming
The only three New York Giants players who touched the football on a field goal that propelled their team into Sunday’s Super Bowl against the New England Patriots visited Terre Haute North Vigo High School Tuesday — where a throng of Patriots cheered for the Giants.
-
South student serving as Super Bowl ambassador
For more than five hours on Monday, Molly Nasser tied ribbons on gift baskets intended for hospitalized children across the country, part of an unprecedented service project undertaken by a Super Bowl host city.
-
SLIDESHOW: Indy has built rep from ground up
Leaders of Indiana’s capital city spent decades gussying up their downtown by building big sports and convention venues and luring upscale hotels, popular restaurants and a four-story shopping mall to locate here.
-
Vigo County trial date changed
The trial date has changed for a defendant in the April 2011 death of a Terre Haute man.
-
Vigo Commissioners strive to cut expenses
In an effort to remove possible overtime and compensation time issues, the Vigo County Board of Commissioners Tuesday approved a “letter of engagement” for a Muncie-based firm to conduct a time analysis study and a self audit/analysis for compliance with the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
-
Sports museum helped Indy land big game
During the competition for Super Bowl XLVI, it didn’t exactly hurt Indianapolis to be able to throw the National Art Museum of Sports name into the mix.
- More Local & Bistate Headlines
-








