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Updated 01/07/2009 05:53 PM

Fast-tracked bond sales to benefit UNCG

By: Ed Scannell

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GREENSBORO – The Council of State's decision to fast track the sale of $744 million in bonds will speed construction of new facilities at three Triad universities.

One of them, UNCG, has plans to construct a new building to house the university's School of Education.

The school has called the Curry Building home for decades, but Dean Dale Schunk is looking forward to a new home next to the Bryan School of Business.

"One of the big advantages that the new building will offer us is it will allow us to have some real state-of-the-art laboratories and facilities for use by faculty and students," Schunk said.

One of the labs will be dedicated to assistive technology.

"For use with students with special needs, where students who want to become teachers, for example, can learn how to work that equipment," said Schunk.

The building will also house a new sign language laboratory.

"Because we have a very active program here in educational interpreting, education of deaf students, for example," Schunk said.

Gov. Mike Easley has touted the economic shot in the arm the projects will provide.

The UNCG project could generate hundreds of new jobs.

"Chancellor [Linda] Brady had said that probably about 1,300 [jobs]," Schunk said.

Schunk says the economic benefits won't stop there.

"Once the building is done it will continue to have impact because as the School of Education grows and we get additional funding to hire new faculty and staff, our student enrollment increases and that puts additional money into the economy," he said.

Schunk expects the new building to open in January 2011.

Sale of the bonds also will pay for construction of a general classroom instructional facility and horse barns at N.C. A&T as well as a central storage facility and film school production design facility at UNC School of the Arts.