Budget plan calls for 5 area colleges to share in $41M

Dr. Lloyd Jacobs, UT president, was part of the seven-member capital-funding commission. THE BLADE/ANDY MORRISON Enlarge | Photo Reprints

Five area universities and colleges would receive about $41 million in state capital funds under a budget proposal presented Wednesday to Gov. John Kasich.

The proposal for $350 million in building and renovation projects at Ohio's higher education institutions was developed by a seven-member Higher Education Capital Funding Commission that was led by Ohio State University president E. Gordon Gee and included Dr. Lloyd Jacobs University of Toledo president.

The committee was asked by Gov. Kasich to collaborate on a capital budget, as opposed to prior capital requests that came individually from schools, pitting institutions against each other. The governor did not commit during a Wednesday news conference to stick strictly to the presented list, but he offered effusive praise for the committee's work.

"I think what we were able to achieve in this capital bill is unprecedented," Gov. Kasich said.

The presidents of Ohio's 37 public universities and community colleges all signed on to the proposal, further bolstering its likelihood of passage.

Dr. Jacobs joined other leaders Wednesday in lauding the new capital budget process, saying it created a strategic focus for the projects. "It's for all Ohioans, and not just for one institution or another," he said.

The biggest project included in the recommendations is a $50 million engineering building at Ohio State University. Nothing of that scale for northwest Ohio made it onto the list; the biggest single project is $12.5 million for renovations at Bowling Green State University's Hanna, Mosely, University, and South halls.

Most of the projects recommended from the region were for building maintenance, although two new projects were proposed. A $3.5 million advanced manufacturing training center at Northwest State Community College near Archbold made the cut, as did a $2 million anatomy simulation center at the University of Toledo.

In all, UT would receive nearly $18 million in state funds under the proposal, for projects such as renovations at University Hall and a campuswide energy cost reduction project.

Bowling Green would get $14 million at its two campuses, most of which is dedicated to renovations of its four-building complex. Owens Community College would get about $5 million under the plan. Terra State Community College has $1 million set for a building renovation.

Statewide, the bulk of funding would go to renovation or maintenance projects, with $208 million dedicated there. Engineering and science buildings would get $97 million, while $30 million would go toward work-force development, and $15 million to projects that boost public-private partnerships. Those four priority areas were determined by the funding commission.

The 2013-14 higher education capital budget is likely to include additional funding for some statewide projects, the governor's budget director, Tim Keen, said. Although Mr. Keen said the final capital budget would be restrained, compared with a complete lack of capital funds two years ago, any amount will represent a increase.

Gov. Kasich did not say when he expects to submit a final capital budget to the General Assembly.

Contact Nolan Rosenkrans at: nrosenkrans@theblade.com or 419-724-6086.