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West Chester U. launches $50 million fundraising campaign

West Chester U. announces $50 million fundraising campaign, the largest in its history.

West Chester University has kicked off a $50 million fundraising campaign, the largest in its 133-year history.

The "Becoming More" campaign, announced over the weekend by President Greg R. Weisenstein, comes as the university begins studying whether to withdraw from the state's system of higher education if legislation allowing it is approved.

Members of the university's council of trustees are interested in exiting the system, which they say has been too slow to respond to changing academic needs and bleeding enrollment. West Chester by contrast is growing: It's one of only two universities in the 14-school system that showed an enrollment increase this year.

The proposal is controversial and has pitted the university against the system that oversees it. If West Chester were to exit, it would have to pay the state for all of the university's state-owned land and buildings.

West Chester - the largest in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education with more than 15,800 students — already has raised $22 million during the quiet phase of the campaign, including a $2.6 million endowment gift and a $1.49 million gift toward English and music scholarships from the estate of alumni and educators Herbert and Gloria Mitchell.

"The Becoming More Campaign's $50 million goal - including support for new and renovated facilities, program development, outreach, and scholarship and general endowment - will allow WCU to continue on its upward trajectory ensuring that future generations of students have access to an outstanding and affordable education," the president said in a statement.

According to the university, the projects to be funded through the new campaign are:

Business and Public Affairs Center: $6 million

Construction of a new home for the College of Business and Public Affairs, with accounting, criminal justice, economics, finance, geography, management, marketing, political science and social work programs.

Health Science Building expansion: $5 million

An addition to the existing Health Sciences building as the first phase of a $25 million expansion.

Facility improvements and renovations: $3 million

Funds for improvements to instructional, research, athletic and recreational facilities and residence halls. Funding also would help the university's campus-wide conversion to geothermal energy.

Program development and resources: $4 million

Support for new graduate programs such as the doctor of nursing practice and the doctor of applied statistics, along with the expansion of programs in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields. The funds also would cover more student leadership experiences, opportunities for study abroad, applied research and additional support for developmental programs.

Community and cultural outreach: $700,000

Funds for cultural arts programs.

Academic and administrative equipment: $4 million

For everything from science equipment and instructional technology to library resources and musical instruments.

Scholarship endowment: $8 million

For new scholarship endowment to help students with financial need, academic merit, and interests in high demand fields of study.

General endowment $7 million

Annual Fund: $11.8 million

For current operations and scholarships to minimize tuition increases and the impact of declining state funding.