The new Science and Health Sciences Building on campus had its groundbreaking ceremony this week at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. This historic development took several years to come to fruition, gaining the endorsement of multiple state committees and needed to be included in not one, but two state budgets. And to get us to this point this week, I was delighted to vote in support of those budgets alongside my Republican colleagues in the Assembly and the Senate.
Since being elected to the Assembly, the replacement of the old Phillips Science Hall has been one of my top priorities. Anyone who has been on campus has seen how urgent it is to begin construction on this new building. As a former student at UW-Eau Claire, I can confirm that Phillips Hall needed to be replaced already in the 1970s. Despite being just one of nine buildings on campus, Science Hall is responsible for almost one-third of all maintenance work orders.
Our best and brightest students will be prevented from reaching their full potential if this facility is not replaced. Once the building is complete, students won't have to work in an atmosphere with a frequently malfunctioning HVAC system any longer. The first floor will no longer be the limit for students using high-tech equipment, nor will they need to use extension cables to keep their devices running.
With the start of construction on this $231 million state-of-the-art facility which has the backing of both the public and private sectors, our students can get back to learning. In addition, local businesses such as Mayo Clinic have committed to funding 10,000 square feet of research space in the new building, which will help connect students to future careers in the field of health sciences. Moreover, companies like Hewlett Packard, ProHealth Care, and Xcel Energy are a few more significant local commercial sector partners.
It has been an honor to work with Chancellor Schmitt, former Gov. Thompson, and my Republican peers in the Legislature who voted “aye” and gave us the support needed to complete this project for our UW-Eau Claire campus. I'm proud that the current legislature kept our area at the top of its priority list and positioned Western Wisconsin as a pioneer in the growth of our workforce in research and healthcare.