By Tony McVeigh
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkms/local-wkms-974009.mp3
Murray, Ky. – Kentucky public colleges and universities are already compiling their capital project wish lists. Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeigh says the schools want to be ready for next year's legislative session.
A $33 million Engineering-Physics building tops the projects list at Murray State University, but President Randy Dunn says the school also badly needs a new $62 million library. And with online technology rapidly replacing books, Dunn knows the facility must be different from traditional libraries.
"It's not what we think of as a library when we went to school. It is much more areas where, yes, books are stored. But you also have meeting rooms, electronic libraries that exist."
The 2012 legislative session is still seven months away, but Dunn and other university officials statewide are already letting lawmakers see their capital project needs. In these tight budget times, public colleges may be lucky to get even one project funded through the general fund. Bonded projects sometimes fare better, but even those need legislative approval.