Budget Committee expected to OK $60 million Agriculture / Life Sciences Building

INDIANAPOLIS – When the State Budget Committee meets Friday (Aug. 14) on Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus, it is expected to approve the expenditure of $60 million for the construction of a new Agriculture and Life Sciences Building, according to State Rep. Sheila Klinker (D-Lafayette), who serves on the committee.

“This project represents a significant change of historic proportions that will positively affect the university for decades to come,” said Klinker. “Consolidating Animal Sciences faculty, students and staff will have numerous benefits.

“One advantage of putting everyone under the same roof is the creation of an atmosphere to facilitate multidisciplinary teams,” explained Klinker.

“By bringing the teams together, communication takes place rapidly from office to office, instead of across campus. The proximity is important when new ideas are conceived and developments are made. Collaboration and the resulting progress can continue unabated. The new laboratories will be state-of-the-art and enable cutting edge research. This is a great project that will continue to place Purdue in the forefront of world-class research in agriculture and life sciences.”

The current Animal Sciences labs were built approximately 60 years ago. They are small spaces, each designed for an individual faculty member and a few graduate students. The new space will be open and large to facilitate greater interaction between researchers.

Purdue’s Animal Sciences research largely focuses on genetics, meat science and nutrition. Klinker said the College of Agriculture and the Department of Animal Sciences both continue their rapid growth in enrollment, so the departments were literally running out of space.

The $60 million building will be funded through Student Fee Bond Proceeds, Gift Funds, the Capital Reserve for Buildings, and the Capital Planning Reserve.