The Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia Wednesday approved 17 construction projects at campuses around the state. They include an expansion of UGA’s Terry School of Business and the Marcus Nanotechnology program at Georgia Tech.

The Board of Regents signed off on the Terry College of Business Learning Center. Tom Jackson, vice president for public affairs at the University of Georgia, says the building will include faculty offices and classroom space in the heart of campus.

He says “This is the first building in what will be several buildings for a new campus for the Terry College of Business. It’s 35 million dollars. It’s entirely private donations from supporters of Terry College. And we expect to have a groundbreaking on that project in the spring.”

Jackson says private donations were key to several of the projects.

“The state funds some buildings, but most of our projects have internally-generated revenue or private funding as a component. It’s a way to move projects forward in what otherwise is a tough economic time.” he says.

The Board of Regents also approved 12.8 million dollars in renovations to the Health Sciences campus at UGA. And the Board approved renovation of an old Navy barracks into student housing on the Health Sciences campus.

It appointed a construction management firm for the Marcus Nanotechnology program at Georgia Tech.

And the Board also approved expansion of the student recreation and activity center at Kennesaw State University.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports about a dozen students briefly disrupted the Board of Regents meeting. They were protesting a policy that bans illegal immigrants from the state’s top colleges. They also want UGA to stop using a coal-fired boiler.

Tags: Georgia Tech, UGA, Board of Regents, kennesaw state university, construction projects