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Health & Wellness Center
Minot State University has an exciting new project currently on the drawing board that will be critically important to the future vitality of the institution. The Health and Wellness Center is a concept designed to incorporate all aspects of a campus devoted to fostering education on health-related majors and healthy lifestyles in modern state-of-the-art facilities. It will do this by bringing together related programs into a new facility that will promote a synergistic sharing of ideas.
Part of the need for the new center arose from the remodeling of Swain Hall into an academic building. The Swain remodeling, projected to be complete in two years, will provide a home for the College of Education and Health Sciences in addition to expanded classroom, office and lab space for education and the sciences. Displaced from the building by the remodeling were the existing student fitness center and football offices and locker rooms. The gymnasium in Swain that previously served as a multipurpose facility that handled athletic practices, intramurals and other student activities will now serve as the primary pedagogical laboratory for the Department of Teacher Education and Human Performance.
The new Health & Wellness Center provides a logical home for the student fitness center and student activities that started in Swain Hall at the request of students and was funded with student fees approximately ten years ago.
This idea of an expanded wellness center was first suggested by campus master planners as a way to better utilize the swimming pool and locker rooms in the Student Center. Concerns with space limitations at that site resulted in consideration being given to other possible locations. The one that made the most sense to project architects is adjacent to the Dome. This site will take advantage of some features already in place in that fine facility. Racquetball courts, locker rooms, workout areas, and a walking/running track already exist in the Dome. By adding to it there will be the opportunity to create an even more useful building.
At the same time and as part of a desire to improve services to students there is an opportunity to house student health, and disability, testing and counseling services in a more accessible location for students. They currently reside in the basement of a residence hall. Couple this with the potential to address a long needed location for child care services and it creates a powerful argument for a new building.
The final piece of this dynamic puzzle is the need for more space for one of the most in-demand majors on campus; nursing. A plan to expand facilities for a growing nursing program adds to the list of critical needs and has resulted in the new working concept of a Health and Wellness Center. An expanded nursing program would include state-of-the-art simulation laboratories and potential new related programs in geriatrics/gerontology, sports medicine, and athletic training. This expanded program has potential to support and provide new services for retired populations while also providing academic training for healthcare professionals and collaboration with community and regional health providers.
The nursing program would be relocated to the new center as a result of a significant increase in demand because of its quality reputation. Minot State University is currently only able to admit about one third of those qualified who apply (18 out of 54 are admitted annually). There is also demand for increasing nursing outreach and support activities within our region.
The estimated cost for the project is $15 million. Funding for the first phase housing the student fitness center and student activities will come from student fees. The State of North Dakota has been asked to fund the academic portion of the building estimated at approximately one third of the overall project cost.
A Minot State University Health and Wellness Center would allow for combining all facets of wellness into a common facility. Physical and mental health would be joined with health-related curricula to address all aspects of a comprehensive campus wellness program responding to these demands. Minot State University believes this project supports our Vision 2013 strategic plan by helping to ensure future institutional viability, vitality and growth.