The Ypsilanti Courier
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Officials continue fight for state funding
Students, administrators are hopeful for capital outlay approval
By Christine Laughren, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: February 21, 2008
For the seventh time this year students at Eastern Michigan University traveled to Lansing to request funding for Pray-Harrold.
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Members of Student Government's Political Action Committee journeyed to the state capitol Wednesday to speak with senators and representatives about the 39-year-old building's need for renovation.
"The building itself was built in the '60s, it's really outdated and it doesn't address the needs of the students," said Student Body President Greg Jones. "I hesitate to say falling apart but it's on its way."
Pray-Harrold has been at the top of EMU's capital outlay request since 1999. The university has not received funding from the state for a capital outlay project for more than a decade.
"It's been far too long for a capital outlay project and we've been pushing it for a long time," Jones said.
The renovation of Pray-Harrold is expected to cost $57 million. Governor Jennifer Granholm's 2008 executive budget recommendation requests $40 million in state funds toward the building.
According to a press release, EMU plans on financing the remaining portion of the project through the sale of bonds that are supported through tuition and fee revenue.
Freman Hendrix, EMU's Chief Government Relations Officer, said the joint capital outlay subcommittee began reviewing Granholm's request last week. The committee decides on which recommendations would be approved and sent to the Legislature for a vote.
Rob Kull, director of the Political Action Committee, said although many state senators and representatives are in support of the project others are not.
He said some in Lansing are wary of spending money due to the state's continuous budgetary problems.
Hendrix said he is not sure when the legislature would vote on the bill.
"This could happen in the next three to four months or it could go right to December of this year as one of the last actions of the legislature," Hendrix said.
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