SCC makes lab renovation bonding bill pitch to lawmakers

Holly Marie Moore, The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.
Updated ·2 min read

Oct. 5—South Central College staff made their pitch to include lab renovation plans in the next bonding bill to lawmakers Thursday as local senators continued their tour of proposed projects across the region.

The college is asking for $6.1 million for upgrades to spaces such as the Health Sciences Center, Agriculture and Diesel Service Labs, Infrastructure Solutions Lab and more.

SCC President Annette Parker said the college is asking lawmakers to support programs that they feel are strategic to the regional economy and workforce.

"We need to make sure we're addressing the needs of today with the technology that are coming into these programs," she said.

The Health Sciences Center portion of the project proposes relocating and improving spaces for programs, such as dental assisting, emergency medical services and a new surgery technician program, to make sure they're located together.

For example, the dental assisting program, which currently shares space with the dental hygiene program at Minnesota State University, would be moved to SCC's North Mankato campus to allow more students into the program, which Parker said is growing and has a waiting list.

"Because they're growing, and the hygiene (program) is also growing at MSU, we can't serve the community without this bond," said Parker.

Meanwhile, renovated spaces for the new surgery technician program would allow space for an operating room simulation lab.

Other projects involved in the bonding ask include creating a radiology lab, consolidating Emergency Medical Services space and updating other lab spaces.

Republican Sen. Rich Draheim, of Madison Lake, said he supports the project and that the college does a good job at matching academics with businesses in the community.

"Dr. Parker has done a really good job of tying the community to the programming at South Central, and these are family-supporting jobs that they're training people for," he said.

DFL Sen. Nick Frentz of North Mankato also said he hopes to see the SCC project included in the bill.

"It's obvious from the enrollment, the results they're getting, and it's a good investment of state bonding dollars. I'm proud to be an author of it, and I hope we can pass it," he said.

Other proposed projects on the tour have included community center and jail improvements in Fairmont, water infrastructure projects in Lewisville and Blue Earth and an indoor play area in Lake Crystal.