Ryan Breaks Ground for Southern Illinois University Construction Project, Announces Funds for Library Expansion

CARBONDALE -- Governor George H. Ryan today broke ground on a $11.6 million renovation and expansion project for Altgeld Hall on Southern Illinois University's Carbondale campus and announced that the state would provide nearly $2 million to modernize and renovate Morris Library, the main library on the SIUC campus

A $400,000 Green Illinois grant will fund the "greening" Altgeld Hall during construction. Governor Ryan created the Green Illinois in April of 2000 to increase awareness and encourage the use of "green" products and practices that reduce waste, improve energy efficiency and generally sustain the environment. "Greening" a building can include using recycled or low polluting construction materials.

"If students are going to compete in the 21st Century, we need to make sure that their years of learning in college are spent in the most up-to-date environment possible," Gov. Ryan said. "By investing in campus improvements, we are investing in the futures of these students and the future of Illinois."

The expansion project for Altgeld Hall will improve facilities and provide students at SIUC with new high-tech, acoustically accurate practicing, recording and performing studios, offices and classrooms. The project is the first ever to receive funding through the governor's Green Illinois program.

The $30 million library renovation project will increase the library's capacity and serve as a recruiting tool for students and faculty. The library, which was designed to hold only one million volumes and serve a population of 15,000, currently holds more than two million volumes and serves a campus population of more than 22,000 students.