State Bonding Bill
Posted on
May 9, 2012
by
MCTC News
Minneapolis Community and Technical College to receive $13.4 million to improve workforce development programs to prepare students for current jobs
Gov. Dayton signs State Bonding Bill authorizing funding; Project brings capital investment of nearly $100 million to MCTC over the past 12 years
Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC) will receive $13.4 million to improve and modernize several classroom and lab spaces in high-demand, high-growth programs like healthcare, welding and machine tool technologies, as part of the State’s 2012 Bonding Bill legislation.
Gov. Dayton today signed the 2012 bonding bill that includes $13.389 million for MCTC’s Workforce Project. MCTC will use the funds to remodel 91,000 square feet of classroom and lab space in the College’s T Building, which houses several career and technical classrooms and lab spaces. Project plans also call for the addition of two elevators to the building, which will alleviate long lines since the College’s nearly 40 percent enrollment increase in the past seven years.
The College’s nursing and allied health programs will receive a huge boost through the consolidation of lab space, which will emulate a hospital setting and allow for expanded use of simulation. MCTC also plans to remodel spaces and improve mechanical systems to support programs in Architectural Technology, Photography and Digital Imaging, Welding, Machine Tool Technology and HVAC-R.
The College also plans to move its Air Traffic Control program from Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie to the MCTC campus and build flight simulation labs and space in the main campus T building, thereby eliminating the need to operate 67,000 square feet of space and saving some $225,000 a year in operating costs.
“This is a win-win situation for our students, the taxpayers of Minnesota, and employers,” said MCTC President Phil Davis. “We will be able to remodel several career and technical programs that will allow our students to continue to get a relevant, high-quality and affordable education.”
The 2012 bonding bill provides funding for the first of two phases of the project or approximately 80% of the entire project. Work on Phase I will begin this summer and will be completed in approximately 18 months. Completion of the second phase of the project will require approximately $3.7 million of additional funding in 2014.
The funding of this project brings the total capital investment in MCTC over the last 12 years to nearly $100 million.
