Purdue will ask state help for $160M facility, first salvo in One Health initiative
Project would consolidate Institute for Cancer Research, part of Purdue's next big move. Also, more campus renovations coming. Plus, Klondike teacher makes final list for Indiana Teacher of the Year
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This and that for the first Monday in August …
PURDUE PLANS $160M FACILITY FOR CANCER INSTITUTE, ONE HEALTH INITIATIVE
Calling it the manifestation of the university’s new One Health strategic initiative, Purdue will make what it calling the Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Research Building its No. 1 ask for construction funds when the Indiana General Assembly meets in 2025 to pull together the state’s next two-year budget.
Purdue will ask the state to consider funding $90 million of the expected $160 million project that would include a 140,000-square-foot facility that would house the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research, among other research space.
If funding comes for the project, the university’s 10-year capital plan approved Friday by the Purdue trustees pegs construction to aim for a fall 2028 opening on the south campus, likely in vicinity of Lilly Hall and the soon-to-be-built 186,000-square-foot building designed for the colleges of Pharmacy and Nursing, according to Jay Wasson, vice president for physical facilities, said. The Pharmacy and Nursing project was Purdue’s priority request during the 2023 state budgeting session.
“Multiple colleges many departments and many Discovery Park District research institutes will benefit from it,” Purdue President Mung Chiang said during Friday’s Purdue trustees meeting.
Chiang said the project will pull from various colleges on the West Lafayette campus, focusing chemistry-related in agriculture, science, engineering and pharmacy in one facility. He said the move into new labs from those colleges will open space for renovation in current buildings spread out on campus for other uses. Those facilities, according to a Purdue presentation, “vary in age and capabilities” and “require updates to remain effective.” According to the university, “loss or lack of modern research capabilities has and will continue to negatively impact faculty productivity, retention and recruitment” in life sciences.
In June, trustees agreed on assembling a university-wide initiative in health and life sciences called the Purdue One Health Initiative. The concept comes on the heels of three other major initiatives in the past two years – the creation of the Daniels School of Business, the Purdue-Indianapolis campus, and the AI and computer science push of Purdue Computes. Each of those other three initiatives have seen Purdue and outside investments well more than $100 million each.
Chiang said then that the One Health initiative would look to realign research priorities and shift the reporting structure of several parts of campus to build off the university’s established strengths. Among the changes, the project would put the College of Health and Human Sciences, College of Pharmacy and the College of Veterinary Medicine under a recently created vice president of health affairs. Eric Barker, the dean of the College of Pharmacy, moved into that role on July 1.
According to a presentation offered to trustees Friday, Purdue’s Institute for Cancer Research takes in 118 faculty members in 21 departments across seven colleges and schools on campus.
“The intent is to create new space, particularly for the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research, to really bolster and fortify our position as a National Cancer Institute-funded research institution,” Barker said Friday. “What it really allows us to do is consolidate Cancer Center members, which is probably across five or six different colleges. … What it's about is driving interdisciplinary research as part of our culture, and it’s what helps us see that growth and research expenditures research grants that’s being able to attract and retain the best faculty. Having those facilities is really critical.”
Purdue trustees on Friday also approved:
A $3.15 million to plan to tear out the plaza between the Purdue Memorial Union and Stewart Center so waterproofing repairs can be made to the buildings. The project will include a redesigned plaza with brick pavers and an additional ADA accessible entrance to Stewart Center. Wasson compared the new look to the areas that run along the front of the Wilmeth Active Learning Center. Construction is expected to start in May 2025 and finished in November of that year, according to a presentation given to trustees.
(Photo: Dave Bangert) A $16 million, 21,000-square-foot renovation to the ground and basement floors of the Mathematical Sciences Building to expand the facility’s data center to house additional computer servers. Construction is expected to start in May 2025 and finish in February 2026.
A $4 million project to replace and repair equipment in the Reed Animal Disease and Diagnostic Laboratory. That work is expected to be done in December 2025.
A $28 million, five-year lease starting in August 2026 at 501 Indiana Ave. in Indianapolis, as Purdue continues work on and near its Indianapolis campus after the split up of IUPUI. The mixed-use project, under construction by Arrow Street Development, will include 262 apartments with 686 bed, along with retail and classroom space near the Purdue-Indianapolis campus. According to agreement, Purdue will lease 427 beds in 159 apartments. The deal does not include Purdue use of classrooms or other space in what the university described as a student purpose-built project, expected to open in time for the 2026-27 academic year.
A health care plan that will include the first increase in premiums for faculty and staff since 2019. For specifics about the new plan, see the university’s details here.
On a related note, Mung Chiang weighs in on new diploma proposal: This is from last week, as Chiang joined other state higher education leaders with assessments of new proposed Indiana diploma standards. Chiang’s point in a letter to the Indiana Department of Education: The new setup, as proposed, wouldn’t provide a diploma that met Purdue admissions requirements in areas of math, lab sciences, social studies and world language. Not a ringing endorsement for what the state’s trying to do. “Because we know that success in college begins with rigor in the high school curriculum, we respectfully ask that you consider an enrollment seal aligned with the requirements for competitive applications to Indiana’s R1 institutions,” Chiang wrote. For more on how this is playing out, WFYI’s Rachel Fradette had this report: “Purdue president: New Indiana high school diplomas won’t meet admission requirements.”
Read Mung Chiang’s full letter here:
KLONDIKE ELEMENTARY TEACHER MAKES TOP 10 FOR INDIANA TEACHER OF THE YEAR: Ellie Minogue, who teachers fourth- and fifth-grade high-ability classes at Klondike Elementary School last week was named a Top 10 finalist for Indiana Teacher of the Year. An Indiana Department of Education selection committee is expected to interview Minogue later in August before the list of finalists is narrowed to three and the 2025 Indiana Teacher of the Year is names in the fall.
Tippecanoe School Corp. has had two Indiana Teacher of the Year recipients in the past decade. East Tipp Middle School teacher Sharita Ware took the honor in 2022. Kathy Nimmer received the honor in 2015 when she was an English teacher at Harrison High School. And in 2022, Amanda Beck, a German language teacher at TSC’s Harrison High School, was among the 10 finalists for 2023 Indiana Teacher of the Year.
The other nine finalists include: Justin Allison, MSD of Wayne Township; Dayna Cade, Plainfield Community School Corp.; Chet Dixon, Mooresville Consolidated School Corp.; Molly Fountain, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp.; Chelsea Haneline, Huntington County Community School Corp.; Graciela Miranda, Metropolitan School District of Pike Township; Nicole Schadek, Purdue Polytechnic High School; Susan Marie Shell, Michigan City Area Schools; and Shelly Swain, Richmond Community Schools.
AN INVITATION TO ROSS-ADE …: Lining up guests, maybe, for the fourth quarter rendition of “Shout,” Purdue football coach Ryan Walters swings for the fences with this invitation issued on social media last week to a Lafayette native who knows how to sing a bit.
BOIL ORDER MONDAY FOR ONE SUBSDIVISION: Homes in the Rolling Hills subdivision, including on Brazos Circle, Brazos Court and Brazos Trail, in southern Lafayette will be under a boil order Monday, as the Lafayette water works crews repair a valve on a neighborhood hydrant. The city says the move, which will include turning off water for part of the day, is “out of an abundance of caution.” The boil order will be in effect for 24 hours once the water is turned back on Monday. The city suggests residents boil water vigorously for three minutes prior to using; and use only boiled water for drinking, brushing teeth, diluting fruit juices and all other food preparations or consumption. The city also warns not to use ice from a household automatic icemaker or use any ice made with un-boiled water from this system.
AND, FINALLY … A REMINDER ON THIS DEAL: EXTEND YOUR BASED IN LAFAYETTE SUBSCRIPTION BY CHIPPING FOR CASAs FOR KIDS FUND
The 2024 edition of the Subaru CASA Cycling Challenge, a 24-hour event held Aug. 10-11 at the two-mile Subaru of Indiana Automotive test track in Lafayette, is getting closer. Some remnant of the Bangert Brothers team will be there, again, at least to put in some ceremonial laps and lend support to the CASAs for Kids Fund here in Tippecanoe County.
The CASAs for Kids Fund is set up for abused or neglected kids who wind up in the court system and in foster care, offering funding for clothing, bedding, school band instruments, field trip or summer camp fees, dance class, equipment to join sports teams and other things the system can’t provide. The CASAs for Kids Fund gets them that stuff and gets them that much closer to a normal life as a kid. And fundraising tied to the 24-hour ride gets the CASAs for Kids Fund geared up for the next year.
This year, I’ll add a free month to your full-access Based in Lafayette subscription for a donation of any amount to the Bangert Brothers team or team members. Thanks to those of you who have already helped. Your subscription updates are on the way.
If you’re game, here’s the link.
Thanks, again, to Based in Lafayette sponsor Long Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Lafayette. For information on upcoming events, go to longpac.org.
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Tips, story ideas? I’m at davebangert1@gmail.com.
As a confirmed non-sporto, I am happily imagining the stadium singing "Shout," the ponderous 1985 Tears for Fears song about primal scream therapy.
Here we go again: how low an IQ do you need to be an Indiana legislator? They didn’t check with Purdue to know what courses are required to attend the university. Keep voting for these imbeciles! Aren’t you proud of our state government legislators? You better worry about project 2025 for the federal government, since it it already here working against you here in Indiana. You voted for them, I DID NOT!