Gov Christie Attends Groundbreaking for Science Center at Stockton College

Gov. Chris Christie was among several dignitaries on hand for the ground breaking of a $28.62 million expansion that will nearly double the size of the Unified Science Center at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey on Thursday.

He joined Richard Stockton College of New Jersey President Herman Saatkamp, Secretary of Higher Education Rochelle Hendricks, Student Senate President Carl Archut Jr. and Stockton’s Board of Trustees at the event on Thursday.

Christie noted that his administration had prioritized investing in higher education, and said a total of $1.2 billion from two bond acts approved by voters will be used for public colleges.

The 54,000-square-foot expansion project, referred to as the Unified Science Center2  (“Unified Science Center Squared”) to acknowledge its emphasis on science and math, will be supported by $21.465 million in funding from the Building Our Future Bond Act approved by voters in 2012.

The bond act requires that the college pay 25 percent, or $7.155 million of the total $28.62 million cost.

The three-story expansion will include labs for teaching and research, a greenhouse, computer labs, faculty offices and a vivarium.

Saatkamp said that when he arrived at Stockton in 2003, science faculty told him that “one of the college’s most pressing needs was a state-of-the-art science building.”

“Our labs at that time were outdated and lacked the technology one would expect, especially given that Stockton produces a high number of math and science undergraduate degree recipients - nearly 24 percent among our eight sister institutions,” Saatkamp said, in reference to New Jersey’s public colleges and universities.

“Look how far we’ve come in just one academic year,” Saatkamp said. “Last fall, we celebrated the opening of phase 1 of the Unified Science Center, and today, thanks largely to Gov. Christie, Secretary Hendricks, the Legislature and the overwhelming support of the citizens of New Jersey, we are able to break ground on Unified Science Center.”

“Most importantly, it will better prepare our students for exciting careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and help meet the growing demand of industries in the region and throughout the state seeking highly educated and skilled graduates.”

A video of Christie’s appearance on Thursday is attached to this post.