Universities seek building funds

The leaders of Iowa’s public universities today asked legislators to back campus building projects.Iowa State University wants a new business college, the University of Iowa wants a new art building and the University of Northern Iowa wants a big improvement in its campus heating system. I-S-U’s business college has grown 35 percent in the past five years, and officials have already raised half the money for the building from private donors. University of Iowa President Mary Sue Coleman says her institution’s current art building is “terrible”, has extensive flood damage, and has such poor climate control, works of art get damaged. University f Northern Iowa officials want to replace a steam heat line from U-N-I’s utility plant, as they spend way too much fixing the current system. Representative Chuck Gipp of Decorah gives the projects a 50-50 shot at winning state support this year.