UWL Chancellor hopeful about passage of Prairie Springs science funding

University students need to get the best education in science possible, to keep up with changing technology. 

That point of view comes from UWL Chancellor Joe Gow, hoping that state lawmakers agree to let his campus have close to $200 million to build a second Prairie Springs Science center.

“This project is essential,” Gow told reporters last week when Gov. Tony Evers came to campus to tour the local science buildings. “We feel really good about how things are looking, because when you have the governor of the state saying this is the number 2 project and there’s a Madison project ahead of us…that we’re right there with Madison in the priorities, it’s fantastic.”

Gow says the existing Cowley Science Hall, built in the 1960’s, is overdue for a replacement.

“We’re standing here in this decaying building,” he said while speaking inside Cowley. “This is not, as they say, sustainable, so at some point we do need to get this done, and we feel that the time is now.”

State leaders have not approved funding for the second Prairie Springs science building, which could cost $180 million, even though the first phase was completed in 2018.