UW officials say they are disappointed to receive less than half the $40 million they hoped the state would contribute toward construction of a new computer-science building. A new building, they say, would allow them to double the number of degrees the department awards.
The University of Washington must step up its fundraising for a new computer-science building after state lawmakers granted less than half the $40 million the school originally requested.
In budget documents, lawmakers said they committed $32.5 million toward construction of the new building, which UW officials say is key to training more Washington residents for jobs in high-tech firms.
But Randy Hodgins, vice president for UW’s office of external affairs, said the reality is the state provided only about $17.5 million, with the other $15 million a transfer from a university account typically used for repairs and maintenance.
“We’re just surprised and disappointed right now,” Hodgins said earlier, after Gov. Jay Inslee signed the capital budget.
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The university’s original $40 million request was a little more than a third of the total construction costs, which are estimated at $110 million, said Ed Lazowska, the Bill & Melinda Gates Chair in Computer Science & Engineering at the UW.
University officials say the new building would relieve pressure on the 11-year-old Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering, which is running out of space. Plans call for a structure of about 130,000 square feet, and officials say it would allow them to double the number of degrees the department can award each year — from about 300 to about 600.
The $15 million transfer came from an account called the UW Building Account the state manages but is normally used for smaller maintenance and repairs, not for large capital projects, UW officials said.
“This means that more maintenance will be deferred, which means higher costs later on,” Lazowska said. He said the department may have to gather additional funds to refill the UW Building Account.
The university was hoping to start construction on the building next year and expected to open it in September 2018. But Hodgins now says construction won’t start until the funding goal is met.
The UW received a $10 million donation from Microsoft earlier in June, the first big donation toward construction.
Washington State University fared better in Olympia with its request for help with a new building at the Everett University Center.
WSU received $54.6 million in state bonds for that project, which is on the Everett Community College campus. Plans call for that building to be used by multiple schools, including Central and Eastern Washington universities.
WSU had originally requested $61 million, said Chris Malick, the university’s director of state relations. But the school will readjust its plans to fit what the state provided, he added.
“We’re thrilled to have the building funded,” Malick said. “This represents a major commitment to the state’s underserved region.”
While the capital budget was signed in the past week, the required bonding bill that funds those requests has not yet been approved. That is expected to happen as early as this week.
At the UW, in addition to stepping up private fundraising, officials plan to see if they can get more state help from the Legislature during the 2016 supplemental session.
“I want to express gratitude for the $17.5 million,” Lazowska said. “At the same time, there was a $2.2 billion capital budget, and I think this is a hugely merited project for Washington’s kids and Washington’s economy.”