Students, Friends Support Financing of New UT-Houston School of Nursing

As The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston celebrates plans for its new UT-Houston School of Nursing and Student Community Center, the institution also recognizes a diverse group of friends whose support has made construction possible.

The $60 million building project is financed through a combination of $10 million in private philanthropy, $17.5 million in tuition revenue bonds from the Texas Legislature, and $32.5 million - more than half the cost of the building - in institutionally financed revenue bonds, supported by increases in student fees and auxiliary enterprises such as bookstores and cafeterias.

"We are indebted to the students who embraced the vision for the new School of Nursing and Student Community Center and voted to support an increase in the student general use fee so that this new facility would come to fruition," said Dr. James T. Willerson, president of the UT- Houston Health Science Center. The student endorsement in turn fueled support from the donors in the community as well as friends in the Texas Legislature.

"State Rep. Garnet Coleman led the effort to ensure that our need for tuition revenue bonds for this project was met, and we are grateful for his leadership," Dr. Willerson said. "We also thank and congratulate Houstonians Bob Cizik and Peggy Barnett whose leadership in raising private funds for this project was so key to our success."

Lead donors include: Houston Endowment Inc., the Cullen Trust for Health Care, the Margaret and Albert Alkek Foundation, the M.D. Anderson Foundation, Shell Oil Company, the Cullen Trust for Higher Education, the Margaret and James A. Elkins Foundation, and the PARTNERS Campaign undertaken by the PARTNERS community support organization for the UT- Houston School of Nursing.

- Jane Brust

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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