The Board of Regents gave final approval March 23 to design and construction plans for an academic teaching facility at UM-Flint that will focus on technology, flexibility and collaboration.
The 15,000-square-foot building will house the newly established College of Innovation & Technology. It will be built on the north end of campus next to the William S. White Building and feature state-of-the-art instructional laboratories and areas designed to encourage collaboration and interdisciplinary research.
The estimated cost of the project is $10 million. Funding will be provided by grants from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration and the Mott Foundation, as well as UM-Flint gifts and resources.
“It’s very important for the college,” UM-Flint Chancellor Deba Dutta said at the regents meeting. “The college administration, faculty and myself are really very enthusiastic.”
Construction is expected to be completed in summer 2025.
The College of Innovation & Technology launched in fall 2021 with 24 enrolled students pursuing degrees in digital manufacturing technology, and information technology and informatics.
Enrollment more than doubled in fall 2022 with additional programs in cybersecurity, and sustainability and energy technology. Programs in software engineering, health care technologies and data science will roll out this fall.
The college was created to educate and prepare students to become leaders in innovative technology and fill key roles in the diverse technical career fields of the 21st century.
In December 2022, the Board of Regents approved the building project and authorized the appointment of Integrated Design Solutions, an architectural firm, to design it. On March 23, the board approved the schematic design and authorized construction to proceed.
Although construction will cause the temporary loss of some parking spaces adjacent to the site, there will be no permanent impact on parking.
The project is expected to provide an average of 16 onsite construction jobs.
