Winter/Spring 2011 Aesculapian magazine - University of Georgia ...

Development News
Steady progress toward our goal to build the VMLC
Over the last year, we have gained a lot of ground in our quest
to build our new Veterinary Medical Learning Center, but we still
have far to go.
Thanks to our wonderful alumni and donors, we have now raised
$6.35 million toward our goal of $15 million in private donations for
the project. The Alumni Class Campaign, launched last summer, has
been a great help to our VMLC fundraising efforts, and we thank all
of you who have participated.
We also owe a huge thanks to our friends at Merial who helped
us host a fundraiser in August at the Georgia Aquarium, and also
to our friends at the Aquarium, who generously made their facility
available to us for a delightful private evening.
In late September, faculty and staff committees from our
Teaching Hospital began working with Perkins & Will, the
architectural firm hired by the University System Board of Regents
to design our VMLC. The committees are helping the firm design
the space needed by each service in the hospital, by our patients
and clients, as well as the learning facilities for our third and fourth
year students. The completion of the design process and other preconstruction
work required to make this a “shovel ready” project was
made possible by Gov. Sonny Perdue (DVM ’71), who proposed
$7.7 million in planning money for our VMLC in the budget he
submitted to the Georgia Legislature in 2010.
While we remain hopeful that construction funding will be
allocated soon, we do not expect that to happen this year. As many
of you are aware, because of Georgia’s current economic climate,
Gov. Nathan Deal’s proposed budget did not include funds for many
new construction projects throughout the state during FY 2012.
We feel this conservative recommendation is justified at this time.
We continue to talk to the governor and our
elected officials, and are hopeful the funding
will be provided in the FY 2013 budget as
Georgia’s economic conditions improve.
Meanwhile, we will continue to raise
private funds for the VMLC.
From all of us to all of you who have
donated toward our much-needed Veterinary
Medical Learning Center, thank you!
If you would like to stay informed of our
progress, read more about our need for this
facility, or to donate to the cause, please visit
us online at www.vet.uga.edu/vmlc.
You may also contact our Development
office at 706/542-1807, or give2vet@uga.edu
30 The University of Georgia • College of Veterinary Medicine