Unity College unveils $6 million expansion plan
Courtesy / Unity College
A design rendering of the 74-bed, 18,200-square-foot residence hall Unity College plans to build before the start of next school year.
Unity College plans to build a new academic building and freshman residence hall to accommodate higher student enrollment.
College officials announced the $6 million expansion plan Monday morning, saying the buildings are expected to be completed before the start of next school year.
The private, environmental college had its largest incoming freshman class ever this year, officials said in a news release.
President-elect Melik Peter Khoury said there is increasing interest in sustainability science, and a strong commitment is needed to support the record number of students attending the college.
“We feel the centerpiece of the campus experience is residence life,” Khoury said in a statement. “So we’re committing substantial planning, financial and human resources to support the mission of building a vibrant campus of learners.”
The 74-bed, 18,200-square-foot residence hall will be the third constructed on campus in three years. The energy-efficient building will be heated and cooled by air-source heat pumps.
Almost three-quarters of its more than 650 students are from out of state, and about 79% live on campus.
“We are creating a home away from home for students across the nation and the world whose passion is to become environmental stewards,” Khoury said. “Building this space will help Unity College bring people from all walks of life to central Maine to help meet the challenges that face all cultures in areas of sustainability, as managing this planet’s resources becomes more and more difficult.”
Unity College has also added about 25 new full-time positions in the last four years and plans to add staff over the next four years to “ensure our student experience is uncompromised as a result of our increased demand,” Khoury said.
Bruce Nickerson, president of the Unity College board of trustees, said the board’s approval of the projects indicates continued support for the strategic vision that will transition to the new leadership under Khoury. Current president Stephen Mulkey will step down in January after four years in the position.
Officials said they expect to break ground on the expansion project in late December or early January.
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