North Dakota Legislature Funds Dickinson State University Library Project

NEWS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 13, 2010



Contact: Don Canton or Jody Link

701.328.2200 or

Shanna Shervheim, DSU

701.483.2595



HOEVEN ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR DICKINSON STATE

UNIVERSITY STOXEN LIBRARY

Establishes New Home for the Theodore Roosevelt Center Virtual Library



DICKINSON, N.D. – Gov. John Hoeven today announced that Dickinson State University (DSU) will receive $8.8 million in state dollars to fund the Stoxen Library renovation and construction project. Hoeven made the announcement at a news conference in Dickinson, along with DSU President Richard McCallum, North Dakota University System Chancellor Bill Goetz and Dickinson Mayor Dennis Johnson.



“We are pleased to announce today that the funding criteria established by the 2009 Legislature have been met and Dickinson State University will receive $8.8 million to fund the renovation and construction of Stoxen Library,” said Hoeven. “This library is a valuable resource for the university and the community, and with this renovation, will continue to enrich future generations of students and citizens.”



The funding was appropriated by the 2009 Legislature in Senate Bill 2003 contingent upon the state general fund exceeding its expected revenue projections by $25 million between July 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009. The legislation stated that actual general fund revenues for that period had to exceed estimated general fund revenues by at least $25 million, based on the legislative estimates made at the close of the 2009 legislative session. General fund revenue collections exceeded projections by $33.7 million, meeting the criteria established in the legislation.



“We are very pleased this project has been funded,” said Goetz. “Dickinson State University is vitally important to western North Dakota, and it’s an integral part of our statewide system of higher education. The addition to Stoxen Library will address the critical library resource needs for students well into the future. Upon completion, Stoxen Library will provide the very latest in technology and resources vital to DSU and the region.”

When completed, the proposed space will include additional computer stations and labs; quiet study areas; an expanded Academic Success Center, which provides tutoring, instruction of English as a Second Language and a writing center; space for the Office of Extended Learning, which offers online and distance education; and the Theodore Roosevelt Honors Leadership Program. Incorporating these components in the new library space will help Stoxen Library fulfill its vision as a hub of intellectual inquiry and its goal of providing an inviting environment for scholarly inquiry and for social and cultural activities.



The expanded library also will provide a new home for the Theodore Roosevelt Center Virtual Library and allow space for special collections and exhibits pertaining to Theodore Roosevelt and western North Dakota.



“This new library addition is a dream come true for us,” said McCallum. “Our library is the cornerstone that supports our academic programs. This addition will enhance our ability to perform our mission and achieve our vision for the future. This new space will expand our library facilities, enhance the educational experience of our students and improve our academic support facilities. Moreover, we are pleased this addition will provide a new home for our Theodore Roosevelt Center.”







-###-