Middle Tennessee State University applauded Gov. Bill Haslam’s announcement Monday night that the University’s $126.7 million Science Building project has been included in his proposed 2012-13 budget. President Sidney McPhee says he's grateful the governor recognized the need for the Science Building project and included construction in this year's budget proposal.

The new Science Building will provide more than 250,000 gross square feet of teaching, faculty and student research laboratories and collaborative learning spaces. The University’s existing Wiser-Patten Science Hall and Davis Science Building were built in 1932 and 1967, respectively, and have a combined total of only 75,332 net square feet. In 1968, just after the Davis building opened, MTSU’s student head count was at 6,779. By fall 2011, the University’s enrollment was 26,442. That means MTSU has seen its head count increase almost four times with no increase in space for science education. At least 80 percent of all MTSU students will take at least one class in the new building, and every student is required to take biology as a general-education requirement.