University of Kentucky
Biological/Pharmaceutical
Complex Phase II
Project:
Phase I of the Biological/Pharmaceutical Complex, authorized by the 2005 General Assembly, will construct a shelled building at UK’s Research Complex. Phase II will complete the 242,000 gross square foot facility and allow occupancy of the facility. This new building will provide the College with a state-of-the-art research facility that also will allow the College to expand enrollment to address the shortage of pharmacists in Kentucky.
What is needed in the 2006 General Assembly:
The University of Kentucky requests $79,892,000 in state bonds for the completion of the Pharmacy Building.
Why this is important to UK:
The UK College of Pharmacy has been the #3 ranked program in the nation for a decade but slipped in 2005 to #8, largely because its facilities do not match up to its competitors. The College enrolls about 100 new students a year, 90% of whom are Kentuckians. The new building will be built to accommodate twice the number of new students each year.
Why this is important to the Commonwealth:
There is a severe shortage of pharmacists in Kentucky, particularly in rural communities. The new building will allow the College to graduate more students to help fill that need.
Economic development benefits to a new building:
Providing adequate research and development space will enable the College to recruit research-intensive faculty who can attract additional research funding. Pharmaceutical research at UK is focused on those diseases that disproportionately affect Kentuckians – cancer, diabetes, and heart and lung disease. The College’s current income from research and contracts is $18 million. Projections show that additional research space will allow the income to grow to $35 million by 2014 and $45 million by 2020. This research will create more jobs for Kentuckians.
Biology will move into existing Pharmacy building:
The vacated Pharmacy Building will be reassigned to the Department of Biology to provide needed expansion space for classrooms, research, and faculty to meet the needs of the growing student enrollment in UK’s largest department.
What to do:
Please call your legislator and ask them to support the completion of the UK Pharmacy Complex