The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
would expand existing health and wellness educational programs and partner to
offer a new doctorate of physical therapy program if plans progress to lease
the former Mid-State Technical College facility.
The first step for a proposed Center for Healthy
Communities was taken this week
when the Stevens Point Common Council agreed to move forward with UW-Stevens
Point’s proposal to lease the city-owned former MSTC facility. The university
would lease the facility at 933 Michigan Ave. for $100,000 annually, with an
option to purchase after July 1, 2017.
The Council unanimously voted to begin
developing a 10-year lease arrangement for the 36,000 gross-square-foot
facility. About 25,500 square feet could be used for classrooms, labs and
administrative space.
The UW System Board of Regents and State
Building Commission will need to approve the lease proposal, which campus
leaders hope will be considered during the winter months. If approved,
renovations could begin in the spring or summer of 2015.
The Center for
Healthy Communities would provide space for new and expanding programs:
- Larger classrooms and more lab space are needed to
meet a growing demand for degrees in high-need health sciences fields offered
by the School of Health Care Professionals.
- Partnering with UW-Milwaukee, a Doctor of Physical
Therapy program would be created, serving up to 72 students in three years.
- A community wellness center will include health
coaching and exercise physiology labs to provide health assessment and prevention
services for the university and community. This
will be in collaboration with businesses, health care providers, public health
entities and individuals.
The School of
Health Care Professions has grown from about 100 students to nearly 600 in the
last 10 years, said Marty Loy, dean of the College of Professional Studies at UW-Stevens
Point. “We’ve grown exponentially.” The demand for
clinical lab sciences and nursing continues to be high.
Existing health
care and wellness programs such as nursing, community nutrition, health
coaching, health sciences and clinical laboratory sciences would move to the former
MSTC building.
The physical
therapy doctorate is an expansion of UW-Milwaukee’s program, led by Kathryn Zalewski, P.T., PhD. Training physical therapists from north central
Wisconsin increases the likelihood they will begin careers within 50 miles of
their practice sites in the area, Loy said.
“This will advance
the university’s vision of recruiting, training and retaining health care
professions in central and northern Wisconsin,” said Chancellor Bernie
Patterson.
The proposal will
benefit students, the city and regional economic and workforce development, Loy
said.
“Central and northern
Wisconsin has a shortage of health professionals in all fields, and these
shortages are predicted to increase as the population ages and retirements
accelerate. This is especially true in rural areas.”
An estimated $2.5 million in renovations are
needed to upgrade the facility, including replacing electrical and mechanical
systems and installing sophisticated testing, exercise and physiology lab
equipment.
If the proposal continues to advance,
completion is targeted for fall 2016.
After July 1, 2017, the university reserves
the right to purchase the three-acre property and improvements at a cost of
$1.39 million.
Skip to main content
