Information provided by Marjie Smith, Communications Officer at N.U.

Construction has begun on the new $12.7 million academic wing here at Nipissing University.

President Dr. Dave Marshall announced that Gap Construction is building the 68,000 square-foot expansion, which is being funded by the Ontario Governments Superbuild program. The academic wing is being built to accommodate the demand for increased student enrolment in Ontario Universities.

The completion of the expansion is set for September 1st, 2001 and will include classrooms, laboratories and offices. Nipissing needs the space to accommodate the recent growth as well as the anticipated increase in enrolment over the next few years as part of the province-wide phenomenon referred to as "the double-cohort".

The double-cohort is the result of the elimination of the OAC year in high schools. The Ministry of Training and Colleges is anticipating that Ontario Universities will need to make room for an additional 80,00 students over the next 5 years.

Nipissing is planning for approximately 600 more students, which will raise our current enrolment to 2,500 students. Dr. Marshall explained that "This construction project takes care of the space, and if the government provides additional resources for faculty and staff, Nipissing can assure access for qualified and motivated students to a university-level education in North Bay."