The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois today approved funding for the new Drug Discovery and Cancer Research Pavilion at the University of Illinois Chicago. The project’s estimated $232 million cost will be funded through state of Illinois capital appropriations, UIC’s operating budget and gift funds.
The facility will be part of UIC’s Illinois Innovation Network hub and will include wet labs, offices, a vivarium and research spaces for the College of Pharmacy, the UI Cancer Center and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ department of chemistry.
“The Drug Discovery and Cancer Research Pavilion reflects the power of partnership and the bold vision behind the Illinois Innovation Network. Through the support of Gov. Pritzker, the General Assembly, our donors and the university community, we are creating a destination for discovery that will strengthen Illinois’ leadership in innovation and help deliver breakthroughs that address one of the world’s greatest health challenges,” U of I System President Tim Killeen said.
The new facility will leverage UIC’s strengths and the power of cross-disciplinary research, UIC Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda said.
“The Drug Discovery and Cancer Research Pavilion represents a major investment in UIC’s research enterprise and builds on areas where UIC already has significant strengths, including cancer research, drug discovery, medicinal chemistry and translational science,” Miranda said. “By bringing together researchers across disciplines, the pavilion will create new opportunities for innovation directly targeting health disparities and improving quality of life in the many communities we serve.”
The Illinois Innovation Network is a collaborative effort by the state’s public universities to drive innovation and economic growth throughout the state. IIN is led by the U of I System in partnership with the state’s nine other public universities.
Operating budget approved for current fiscal year
The board also approved a $9.6 billion operating budget for the current fiscal year, a 7.4% increase from the previous year.
Trustees each year pass a preliminary operating budget in May for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1 and finalize the budget in September following the conclusion of the General Assembly’s budget process.
This year’s state budget included a 1% increase in general operating support for the U of I System and other public universities. The additional funds are helping the system to offset inflation costs and to fund student-success initiatives and technology infrastructure.
The system set a record fall enrollment this year with 102,267 students enrolled on its campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. Undergraduate enrollment rose 3.4% overall, including an increase of 4.2% in enrolled undergraduates from Illinois. In the past decade, total system enrollment has risen 25.5%.
Shauna Green extension
Trustees approved the previously announced contract extension for Urbana-Champaign women’s basketball Coach Shauna Green. The new terms potentially extend her contract by up to four years, through June 30, 2036, based on team performance metrics.
The revised agreement includes increases in Green’s total compensation and a one-time signing bonus, funded by the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics budget.
Under Green’s leadership, the team has excelled on the court and in the classroom. She has led the team to 85 wins — the most by an Illinois head coach in their first four years.
The team GPA of 3.624 last season led the Big Ten for the third consecutive year.
