UNIVERSITY HOSTS CEREMONIAL GROUNDBREAKING FOR NORTHWEST QUADRANT HOUSING AND UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTER BUILDINGS - UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTER TO BE NAMED FOR PAT WALKER

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Today, University of Arkansas officials, along with benefactors and representatives from student groups, held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Northwest Quadrant Housing and University Health Center buildings. UA Chancellor John A. White will recommend to the chairman of the University of Arkansas for Board of Trustees that the University Health Center be named the Pat Walker Health Center in honor of the Walker family’s major contribution toward the project.

The Northwest Quadrant will be home to a new University Health Center and a new 600-bed residence hall complex and dining facility.

UA Chancellor John A. White said, "This is a marvelous day for students at the University of Arkansas. Today’s groundbreaking symbolizes the University’s commitment to enhancing the learning environment for our students by providing more housing options and more convenient health services closer to the heart of the campus. We are indebted to the benefactors who have helped make this project a reality."

The Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation provided $3 million to the University Health Center’s construction. In addition to a $75,000 gift from the A.L. Chilton Foundation, and other lead gifts earmarked for the construction, a mass appeal was sent to parents asking for their support of the construction for the Health Center building.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Johnetta Cross Brazzell said, "A key University of Arkansas goal is to enroll 22,500 students by the year 2010. With that increased enrollment, the need for an expanded health center that’s easily accessible by all members of our campus community and more on-campus housing options is even greater. Studies show that students who live on campus tend to have higher grade point averages and increased retention rates. Student affairs is striving to create opportunities to enhance student retention."

The new University Health Center will have 35,000 SF of space to better serve patients. Other features include: increased capacity for family medical practice and women’s health care; confidential and well-designed space for Counseling and Psychological Services; a multi-purpose room for health-education programs, awareness events and health-promotion initiatives; a larger and more efficient pharmacy with a private counseling area for learning about prescribed medicines; upgraded technological infrastructure and computer software to better maintain student records and educational information; an allergy and immunization clinic, laboratory testing and more modern x-ray equipment.

Mary Alice Serafini, director of the University Health Center said, "The University Health Center has evolved from what many may think of as a student infirmary with little more than a nurse and a cot. We are an accredited provider of medical and mental health services as well as health education, staffed by physicians, mental health clinicians, nurses and other healthcare practitioners and technicians. The University Health Center is an important source of healthcare and health education for many people."

Also being built on the Northwest Quadrant site is a new 600-bed student residence hall complex: These will be four-story units, with each suite containing four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a common living area. A new dining center will be built, too. The chancellor thanked representatives from Compass Group USA for their generous support for the construction of the residential dining facilities that will be in the NW Quadrant Housing buildings.

The Board of Trustees approved in June 2002 the selection of the general contractor to work with the architects. Site preparation of the 248,000 square-foot, $46-million project began in fall 2002 with completion scheduled for summer 2004.

William Smith, director of University Housing, said, "We’re excited about the new housing complex coming online for UA students. We anticipate the demand for this housing will be very high due to the unique arrangement and increased privacy of the rooms. To manage this demand, seniors and juniors students will have priority reservation for rooms. Students who wish to live in the new facility must be repeat customers, meaning those who have lived in a University residence hall for at least two years will have a better chance of securing a room in the new building."