May 25, 2006
Wayne State plans $142M face-lift
A front-page story examines Wayne State University\'s capital campaign and the progress marked by today\'s First Anniversary Celebration on campus. The renovations and additions to the College of Engineering, School of Business Administration, and medical and law schools will help elevate WSU\'s visibility as a \"premier urban research university,\" according to President Irvin D. Reid. \"The campaign is an opportunity to align the quality of campus buildings with the quality of education within them,\"? Reid said. The capital campaign\'s goal is to raise $500 million by 2009 for the construction, endowments and scholarships. Although Wayne State has lost state funding for four consecutive years, the capital campaign is designed to pay for significant programs that would not normally be funded by the state, Reid said, such as the scholarships and endowments to attract and retain outstanding faculty. The story mentions that Reid has been transforming Wayne State to a residential university, rather than just a commuter school. During his tenure, residential halls, a Welcome Center and a Fitness Center have been built. Tech Town, a research and technology park, was created to support the establishment of high-tech companies in Detroit. Now, the university is considering a new student center, and hotel and conference center. Susan Burns, vice president for development and alumni affairs, and Ralph Kummler, dean of the School of Engineering, are quoted in the story. A photo of engineering graduate assistant Lavie Golenberg; a rendering of the proposed business school building; and a map showing upcoming construction projects are included with the article.