ASU Board of Trustees Approves $48 Million for Capital Projects at A-State, Including New College of Veterinary Medicine

JONESBORO — Today, the Arkansas State University (A-State) Board of Trustees met in special session and approved nearly $48 million for capital projects at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, including a new home for the university's new College of Veterinary Medicine.

The approval came ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony for the previously approved $28.2 million, 38,887-square-foot Windgate Art and Creative District Hall, which will house space for the Department of Art + Design and the College of Engineering and Computer Science to support creative activities and learning for students.

The cost of designing and constructing the facility for the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is estimated at $33.2 million. The university plans to fund the building through the issuance of $30 million in taxable Student Tuition Revenue Bonds along with $3.2 million from university reserves. Tuition and fees from CVM students will ultimately be used to pay down the debt for construction.

The move follows a recent site visit by the American Veterinary Medical Association's Council on Education, which reviewed A-State's progress on facilities, policies and personnel for the college. The university plans to enroll its first class in 2026 at the state's only public veterinary school.

“As someone who has been involved as an agriculture advocate for the past 25 years, I've always discussed the need to establish a veterinary school in Arkansas,” said Trustee Steve Eddington, vice president of public affairs at the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation. “This is an important step toward meeting that need. Congratulations to Dr. [Todd] Shields and his team for bringing the university to this point. The College of Veterinary Medicine is one of many great efforts underway at the university.”

The bond financing plan approved by the board of trustees calls for a term of no more than 30 years with an expected average interest rate of 5.5% and average annual debt service of just over $2 million. The ASU System will seek the required advice from the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board regarding the economic feasibility of the project.

The board of trustees also authorized A-State to proceed with the purchase of $10 million in equipment for use in establishing the Advanced Materials and Steel Manufacturing Center. The project will be funded through federal grants secured at the request of U.S. Senator John Boozman of Arkansas.

A-State will use the high-tech equipment for a multimillion-dollar facility that will boost the rapidly growing steel industry in the Arkansas Delta and across Northeast Arkansas. The region is a national leader in steel production, with more than 20 steel-related companies employing about 3,600 workers, and another $3 billion facility under construction that will create an additional 900 jobs.

The university expects to work closely with steel manufacturers on research, process improvements, advanced materials testing and steel production while training the growing professional workforce needed for the industry and the region.

“It's been a long process, but the steel project and the College of Veterinary Medicine are important for the state and will be life-changing,” said Trustee Paul Rowton.

The trustees approved a $4.76 million renovation project for Northpark Plaza at A-State, located at East Johnson Avenue and North Caraway Road. The facility will be used to support initiatives to strengthen Home and Community-Based Services for Medicaid beneficiaries as part of the HOWL (Helping Our Wolves Learn) RESTORE (Research, Education, Service, Transformation and Outreach through Reflective Engagement) Center on campus.