State Budget Includes Investments in UMass Dartmouth

DARTMOUTH — The state budget finalized this week includes important UMass Dartmouth investments that advance the university’s teaching, research and civic engagement mission.

“The final state budget includes important support for public higher education, including critical investments in UMass Dartmouth,” Chancellor Robert E. Johnson said. “We are fortunate to live in a state where civil debate, bi-partisan problem-solving and forward thinking define our policy-making. I want to thank the Baker-Polito administration, the Legislature, and our SouthCoast delegation, for recognizing the value of UMass Dartmouth to this region and its citizens. Here at UMass Dartmouth, we look forward to working with our partners in government to continue building the region’s only Tier 1 national research university.”

Among the key items contained in the budget:

· $2.7 million for the ongoing lease and operation of the College of Visual and Performing Arts (Star Store) in downtown New Bedford.

· $450,000 for the School for Marine Science and Technology to continue research related to fisheries stock assessment.

· $100,000 for the Cranberry Health Research Center for ongoing studies related to the disease-fighting properties of the state’s official berry.

· $80,000 for transportation costs related to the Leduc Center for Civic Engagement America Reads/Counts tutoring programs in New Bedford and Fall River. This is the first year that the university has received this funding.

Earlier this year, the Legislature passed a major capital construction-financing bill that authorized $950 million in statewide public higher education facilities projects, including $73 million for UMass Dartmouth projects. The Baker-Polito administration released $25 million in June to support the renovation of the Science and Engineering building.

UMass Dartmouth