Earlier this fall, University of Central Arkansas President Lu Hardin announced a recommitment to academics that would begin with a $100 million plan for new and renovated infrastructure over the next 10 years. ?The recent and projected growth in UCA?s student body and faculty suggests that the university will soon face critical shortages in instructional space,? Hardin said. ?These factors led us to develop a plan to provide additional facilities and update existing infrastructure to meet the needs of our students, faculty and staff.?
Last month, the UCA Board of Trustees took the first steps toward construction of one new building by approving a capital project request for the issuance of up to $16 million in bonds for the construction of a new business building.
More than three decades ago, UCA constructed Burdick Business Administration Center to house the College of Business Administration. Since that time, undergraduate enrollment in the college has doubled and three new master?s degree programs have been added.
Currently, college enrollment is limited by the capacity of the existing classrooms in the 60,500 square-foot building.
If the bond issue is approved by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, UCA will go forward with plans to construct an 80,000 square-foot business building that likely will be located behind Wingo Hall on Donaghey Avenue, where the military armory was once located. The land is currently being used for parking.
?We will have to find more space to replace the parking we will lose, but we have a plan for that as well,? Hardin said.
As plans for construction of a new business building proceed, UCA will also begin the planning process for renovations and upgrades to the current business building for other instructional uses upon completion of the new business building.