Atlanta — October 9, 2007

University System of Georgia (USG) projections call for Georgia’s 35 college and university campuses to see an influx of new faces in the coming years, and officials have spent months planning needed facilities to meet conservative projections for an additional 100,000 students by 2020.

The Board of Regents today approved a list of facilities needed throughout the System that calls for a total investment of $1.7 billion in general obligation bonds between 2008 and 2014 for a capital implementation program with more than 100 new construction, renovation, and infrastructure projects. Using the new capital planning model approved by the regents in 2006, University System Office and campus staff developed the capital implementation program list.

Facilities planning also is also a fundamental element of the regents’ new Strategic Plan. This plan, approved by the regents in August, has as its underlying theme the need to build capacity in the system in many key areas, including facilities to accommodate enrollment significantly higher than the current 260,000 students.

“The new strategic capital model enables us to better integrate planning for buildings on our campuses into the Board’s strategic plan as well as with individual institutions long-term campus master plans,” said Vice Chancellor for Facilities Linda Daniels in today’s presentation. “With this new planning model, we are moving away from a year-to-year view to a more strategic, long-term approach that will result in a more efficient and effective use of state resources.”

In August, the regents approved as part of the USG’s fiscal year 2009 budget request a $215 million program of capital projects using the new strategic capital model for the first time. This new model is data driven, and is based upon each institution’s current enrollment, anticipated enrollment growth, total square footage on campus, the age and condition of current facilities, as well as the priorities of the board as reflected in its new Strategic Plan.

Today’s presentation added five additional years of proposed investment, completing the six-year capital implementation program that provides the regents a comprehensive, long-term view of needed general obligation bond capital investment. The capital implementation program list will be reviewed annually to inform the board’s capital budget request, with comprehensive revisions and additions occurring on a three-year cycle.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A complete copy of the six-year facilities list for each of the System’s 35 campuses can be downloaded here http://www.usg.edu/ref/capital/capital_projects.phtml

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