ODESSA, Texas — UTPB is set to receive about $45 million in state funding for capital projects once Gov. Greg Abbott signs a bill passed by the Texas Legislature that would split about $3.3 billion among several universities across the state.
The $45 million would be used to upgrade the Mesa Building on campus. It is a building that is nearly 50 years old.
"This $45 million will allow us to do a complete refresh and update in time for [the building's] 50th birthday," Sandra Woodley, president of UTPB, said. "So as we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we'll be able to really completely update one of our most important academic buildings on the campus."
The upgrades would go to several different areas of need in the building. Some of these include updating the elevators and installing a third one, revamping the classrooms and creating more effective outdoor learning spaces.
"So having the technology in the classrooms, indoors and outdoors, and having spaces that are safe and beautiful and functional and modern," Woodley said. "We deserve that in this community, our students deserve that, and we’re really happy to be able to deliver that with this funding."
If Abbott signs the bill, UTPB plans to move quickly on the project and hopefully have it completed within two and half or three years.
"Some of them, we'll be able to get started sooner rather than later," Woodley said. "I suspect it’ll take every bit of the two and half years to complete, maybe even three, to complete all of the work from this bill, but that’s pretty par for the course I think in these large projects."
It's a project UTPB hopes will help bring more students and faculty to campus.
"It’s more than just the classrooms that benefit," Woodley said. "It’s our ability to go out and recruit and retain the talented students and faculty and staff that are needed here in the Permian Basin. Our primary goal is to double the number of people who get a degree from our institution."