{"180311":{"#nid":"180311","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Biosystems Funding Among Top Tech Legislative Priorities","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs the 2013 legislative session begins this month, Georgia Tech\u2019s Office of Government and Community Relations will be focused on conveying Tech\u2019s legislative priorities to Georgia\u2019s leaders.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur number one priority for this year is securing $5 million in bonds to complete and equip the Engineered Biosystems Building (EBB), which will provide 200,000 square feet of multidisciplinary research space,\u201d said Dene Sheheane, executive director of Government and Community Relations. \u201cIt\u2019s a facility that will allow for collaboration across campus and across institutions and will help provide a competitive advantage for the state.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a result of the $59 million awarded in fiscal year 2013, the EBB site has been cleared and construction has begun. The Institute has committed $49 million in institutional and private funds to leverage the total $64 million request for bonds issued by the state.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESheheane and his colleagues will also advocate for the following initiatives:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESecure $1.875 million for the rehabilitation of the Lloyd W. Chapin Building. Originally constructed as Tech\u2019s infirmary, the Chapin Building is more than 100 years old. \u201cThis renovation will significantly improve academic support facilities for our students,\u201d Sheheane said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESecure $96 million in new formula funds to be shared by all University System of Georgia (USG) institutions in support of critical day-to-day operations. \u201cThese funds are particularly essential to maintaining Tech\u2019s academic quality and faculty-student ratio in light of steady enrollment growth,\u201d Sheheane said.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESecure $50 million in major repair and rehabilitation funds to be shared by all USG institutions to repair aging facilities.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESecure renewal of the provision allowing carry-forward of certain USG funds. \u201cUnder this provision, Tech can carry a small amount of funds from one fiscal year to the next,\u201d Sheheane said. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother important and ongoing annual priority is state support for GTRI and EII. These organizations provide a significant benefit to the state and Tech officials will highlight their work and need for continued support.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s important to remember that our state has continued to funnel about 10 percent of the state\u2019s overall revenues to the USG, while many states have redirected funds to other priorities,\u201d Sheheane added.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring the legislative session, the Office of Government and Community Relations also engages external partners in sharing Tech\u2019s story. Members of the Capitol Jackets group, which includes alumni and partners on campus, receive a biweekly newsletter with updates. To join, click \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gov.gatech.edu\/gtln\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs the 2013 legislative session begins this month, Georgia Tech\u2019s Office of Government and Community Relations will be focused on conveying Tech\u2019s legislative priorities to Georgia\u2019s leaders.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"As the 2013 legislative session begins this month, Georgia Tech\u2019s Office of Government and Community Relations will be focused on conveying Tech\u2019s legislative priorities to Georgia\u2019s leaders."}],"uid":"27445","created_gmt":"2013-01-07 10:18:45","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:13:26","author":"Amelia Pavlik","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-01-07T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2013-01-07T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"180291":{"id":"180291","type":"image","title":"Capitol","body":null,"created":"1449179053","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:44:13","changed":"1475894825","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:47:05","alt":"Capitol","file":{"fid":"196023","name":"capitol.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/capitol_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/capitol_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1556119,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/capitol_0.jpg?itok=UOMMIgSP"}}},"media_ids":["180291"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.gov.gatech.edu\/index.html","title":"Government and Community Relations"}],"groups":[{"id":"1259","name":"Whistle"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"54081","name":"2013 legislative priorities"},{"id":"54061","name":"Capitol Jackets"},{"id":"2326","name":"Dene Sheheane"},{"id":"54071","name":"legislative priorities"},{"id":"12755","name":"Office of Government and Community Relations"},{"id":"171151","name":"State of Georgia"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sheheane@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EDene Sheheane\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGovernment and Community Relations\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}