Molly Meyer, Matt Troutman and Mishele Wright, Chronicle-Tribune
Indiana Wesleyan University's board of trustees announced Friday that while it approved completing the first stage of a new science and nursing facility, a college of osteopathic medicine will not be part of the Marion campus.
IWU plans to seek further approval for final designs of the new science building at the April board of trustees meeting. If the board accepts the April proposal, construction will begin in the spring with a projected completion date of fall 2014.
The project's initial completion date was January 2014.
"With what's happening now in the economy, (the board is) just trying to make sure that things are what they seem," said Dr. Henry Smith, president of IWU. "Will it happen? Yes. I'm confident that the science building will happen and in the size we're talking about, the question is we're still trying to determine exactly which will be the starting date to make it happen."
Alan Miller, director of media relations for the university, said the board agreed on Friday to appropriate $45 million for the project. Five million will be to renovate the existing Burns Hall of Science and build an atrium to connect the current building and new building. The other $45 million will be spent on a new, five-story building. The current building is three stories, Miller said.
"It's the biggest project we've ever done," he said.
The most expensive building the school has constructed so far is the new chapel auditorium, which cost $22 million, he said.
The board also addressed the proposal of a school of osteopathic medicine, the first of its kind among schools in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.
"We were hoping to, yes," said Smith, "But as we thought about it and explored it, it was clear that having two in Indiana right now would just not make any sense."
IWU is unable to establish a school of osteopathic medicine due to its close proximity to Marian University in Indianapolis, Smith said.
"Marian University has made great progress and great strides in their college of osteopathic medicine there, we don't want to do anything to jeopardize that at all," said provost David Wright. "The competition isn't for students, there are many, many students who will attend these colleges, the competition is for placements for third and fourth year clinical rotations and residencies."
Miller said IWU and Marian both submitted proposals to build a medical school two years ago to the Indiana Osteopathic Association with the understanding only one would get chosen.
He agreed it wasn't an issue of not having enough students interested in attending.
"We didn't want to jeopardize or compete with Marian University," he said.
He said he didn't know exactly why Marian was chosen over IWU.
During Friday's meeting the board addressed multiple facets in the process of establishing a college of osteopathic medicine, including alternate locations, funding and timing.
"It's an enormous challenge, the board voted that milestones had to be met so if the milestones are not met, then that could come off the table which then could change the phasing," said Dr. Keith Newman, executive vice president of IWU.
The university is evaluating other possibilities for such a school's location.
"We have been approached by another group for the possibility of doing it in another state," said Smith. "Where we are looking at other states, they have adequate placements because they don't have an osteopathic school. So they are saying, we don't have one, we'd like to have one, will you come? So that's what we're exploring."