$124.9 million bond to fund TC expansion

Telegram file Nancy Eaton, simulation coordinator for the Temple College nursing program, stands with one of the new Advanced Patient Simulators the program was able to purchase with funding from the JET program.

$124.9 million bond to fund TC expansion

UMHB expands health offerings

BY ERIC E. GARCIA

TELEGRAM CITY EDITOR

Temple College is planning for a major expansion after voters approved a $124.9 million bond proposal in May.

The bond proposal was approved by 55 percent of voters.

The bond calls for a major expansion of the school’s Health Sciences Center to address a shortage of health care workers as well as providing updates to several college buildings that are 50 to 60 years old.

“If approved, the new facilities could be completed by 2026 when Temple College will be celebrating its 100th anniversary,” TC President Christy Ponce said. “These campus advancements would represent an important milestone in Temple College’s history of being trusted for generations and building for the future.”

She said the bond proposal would aid Temple College in several ways: n Improve college facilities with new technology and tools since many lack modern upgrades, and have mechanical and electrical systems that will need to be replaced soon. n Increase capacity of its health care training programs, including doubling the size of its nursing program as the school works to address worker shortages in Central Texas. n Expand education offerings through a University Center that allows TC students to earn bachelor’s or master’s degrees on campus through its university partners. n Fund a Workforce Training Center to serve as an economic driver by providing career, technology and workforce training for high-demand, high-wage career opportunities. n Improve campus safety with better lighting and long-term growth parking.

“Temple College helps create a skilled workforce that attracts new business to the area, with a positive economic impact of millions of dollars to our community,” Ponce said.

College spokeswoman Ellen Davis said the new construction won’t start in the coming year.

“They need to bid out the design work and then it will take a year to get the designs done,” she said. “Then they need to bid out the construction before that can start. They are looking at a

Nan Dickson/Telegram file Olivia Murr, left, a University of Mary Hardin-Baylor student, uses a paper marver on a piece of glass she is making while Hershall Seals, right, chair of the UMHB Art Department, helps her roll the glassblowing pipe and student Kassie Portillo blows air into the pipe during a Maymester Mester glassblowing class at Baugh Center for the Visual Arts on the UMHB campus in Belton. groundbreaking ceremony in late summer 2022.”

Temple College will receive about $10.7 million in emergency federal funds that will be used for student aid and additional expenses incurred by the school during the coronavirus pandemic. The money comes from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III, part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law March 11, officials said.

Temple College is grateful to have been awarded $10,785,585, Brandon Bozon, vice president for administrative services and chief financial officer, said. Of the HEERF III funds, about $5.5 million must be distributed to students in the form of grants, Bozon said. Davis said the school will provide emergency grants to students as it did earlier during the coronavirus crisis. “We are going to give $300 emergency aid grants to all students who enroll in 6 hours of classes this summer, and $500 emergency aid grants to students who enroll in 12 hours of classes this fall,” she said. The remaining funds, Bozon said, will be used by the college on expenses incurred during the pandemic. TC will hire a new vice president of workforce development this year to expand technical program offerings, Davis said. “The new main building will have a new Center for Workforce Development that will enable us to offer some programs that we are not able to offer now,” Davis said. The Texas Bioscience Institute will expand to a second location in Hutto, part of the college’s educational service area.

UMHB normal operations

In Belton, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor has normal operations in place after COVID19 restrictions were relaxed.

UMHB said in a statement that after resuming normal operations it would no longer require students, employees and guests to wear masks, social distance, follow occupancy limits or report coronavirus symptoms to the school.

The school recently created the Mayborn College of Health Sciences to deal with the demand for highly trained nurses, occupational and physical therapists, physician assistants and counselors.

In July 2018, UMHB and TC gave approval to a plan that will help students save time and tuition dollars as they pursue their educations. The articulation agreement allows students completing their associate degree at Temple College to seamlessly transfer into completing a bachelor’s degree at UMHB.

UMHB recently started its master’s of science in occupational therapy program and plans to produce its first cohort of graduates in 2022.

eegarcia@tdtnews.com June 27, 2021