New arts building topic of UW trustees' meeting

When wyomingarts was in Laramie on Monday, University of Wyoming art department faculty members said they were excited about the proposed new arts building for the campus. It will house faculty offices, studios/classrooms and a spacious gallery, among other things. Proposed site for the new building is adjacent to the UW Art Museum. This set-up locates UW's visual arts resources in one section of the campus, which will be a boon to a fine faculty roster (many of who are WAC fellowship recipients), a burgeoning group of 230-some undergrad students, and the UW art museum and its incredible array of exhibitions. UW cut its graduate-level visual arts program some years ago, but this new complex may spur its future return.

One question: have UW budget cuts impacted this project?

All of this will be a topic at this week's UW board of trustee's meeting. These meetings are open to the public.

Here's more info from an Associated Press story in this morning's Casper Star-Tribune:

The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees has called a special meeting to address subjects including construction of a new arts building.

The board will meet at 11 a.m. Thursday on campus to approve the university's 2010 construction request to the state.UW wants to issue no more than $33 million in revenue bonds to fund the arts project and then pay the debt with federal mineral royalties.

The university hopes to begin constructing a new arts building next year and to begin expanding the existing Fine Arts building in 2013 to house performing arts.

The board will also consider a plan to pay $1.1 million to help construct the Intertribal Education and Community Center at Central Wyoming College in exchange for a 50-year lease for UW's Outreach School.