GOVERNOR HERBERT HEADLINES SCIENCE BUILDING GRAND OPENING

Gov. Gary Herbert joined Utah Valley University President Matthew S. Holland and campus and community guests on April 20, 2012, to celebrate the grand opening of UVU’s new Science Building, a 160,000-square-foot architectural marvel nearly two years in the making.

Sam Rushforth, dean of the College of Science & Health, and scores of state and community dignitaries were on hand to celebrate the achievement with a two-day slate of festivities, which included an aptly scientific approach to the ribbon-cutting itself: the College’s assistant dean Danny Horns applied liquid nitrogen to the center of a rubber, green ribbon, which Herbert and Holland then shattered with hammers.

The glass-and-steel building, which features the very latest in science teaching technology, is a critical acquisition for a student body that had outgrown its existing facilities due to record enrollment growth in recent years. UVU has the fewest square feet per student building space of any institution in the Utah System of Higher Education. This need has been underscored through enthusiastic support of key members of the UVU administration, private donors and the campus community. The new structure was funded by the governor and the Utah Legislature in 2010.

UVU holds groundbreaking for new Science Building

On August 6, Utah Valley University President Matthew S. Holland and the UVU campus community joined Gov. Gary Herbert, members of the Utah Legislature and a host of government, education, business, and community representatives for a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new UVU Science Building.

This groundbreaking mark a culmination of efforts under the leadership of President Holland who, when he began his tenure in June 2009, made the project his top priority due to severe space restraints on campus. The University has recently experienced record enrollment growth while operating with the fewest square feet per student of any college or university in the Utah System of Higher Education.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

I am delighted that Senate Bill 282, which funds a new science building for UVU, passed both the Senate and the House by overwhelming margins during the 2010 legislative session - something that appeared nearly impossible in light of the state’s budget concerns. In light of Governor Herbert’s subsequent and recent approval, UVU will now be granted 45 million dollars to begin constructing a beautifully designed, state-of-the art, 160,000-square-foot science facility. This has been our top university priority for months now because of how such a building would advance our academic excellence while creating much needed space to handle our growth and provide engaged learning opportunities in first rate laboratories. I wish to thank everyone who worked so hard to make this a reality. It truly was a team effort, involving many divisions and levels of campus, including students, staff, faculty, and administrators. We got great support from key community figures, and our legislative delegation really stepped up at crucial moments, in some cases making some significant sacrifices in other areas to make this happen. Val Peterson deserves special mention for spearheading Legislative Affairs with extraordinary energy and intelligence. 

This is a moment to celebrate. It would also be a terrific time to contact your local representative and senator and thank them for providing us with this building, especially during these challenging economic times.

Matthew S. Holland, President

PRESS RELEASES

• Governor, UVU Celebrate Opening of Science Building

• UVU Applauds Legislative Approval for New Science Building

• Soles for Science to Raise Funds for UVU Science Building

• UVU Presents its Third ‘Science for Breakfast’

• Donors Offer Million Dollar Match in Fundraising Efforts for Science Building

• UVU Grows by More Than 3,000 Students

• Students Raise Money for Science With Five Dollar Haircuts

BUILDING HIGHLIGHTS

• 18 Lecture Classrooms

• 27 Laboratory Classrooms

• 400 Seat Auditorium that will be used for classes and special events

• 12 Student Research Laboratories

• The lecture and laboratory classrooms include a total of 1,715 seats, and will accommodate up to 19,145 students in lecture and lab classes every semester.

• Two anatomy labs, each with six autopsy tables. These tables are equipped with ventilation systems that draw air down through the top of the table and vent it to the outdoors. This will minimize any exposure of students to the formaldehyde that is used to preserve cadavers.

• A Geographic Information Systems (GIS) laboratory with 24 workstations. GIS is a system that allows people to make computer-based maps, and to analyze the data contained in those maps. GIS is key to solving problems in a variety of fields, from understanding tree die-offs to predicting floods from snowmelt to analyzing crime sprees.

• Eight different rooms devoted to teaching biotechnology and microbiology. These rooms will help us educated the biological professionals needed to sustain the incredible growth of these industries in Utah.

• A human performance lab that will allow students to study and understand the function of the human body related to exercise and physical therapy.

"Utah Valley University opens expanded science building"
Salt Lake Tribune: April 20, 2012

"UVU celebrates addition of science building to campus"
Deseret News: April 20, 2012

"UVU science building opened with 'ribbon-breaking' ceremony"
KSL: April 20, 2012

"UVU opens new science building"
Daily Herald: April 21, 2012

RELATED LINKS

Donate towards a new UVU Science and Health Building 

UVU College of Science and Health

New Building for the College of Science and Health Programming Report