UW-Madison’s School of Veterinary Medicine could be remodeled in coming years

Students and staff of UW-Madison’s School of Veterinary Medicine are determined to make sure a proposed remodel of the building is not pushed off to a later budget cycle by the state Legislature.

The remodeling project would expand UW-Madison’s School of Veterinary Medicine and its adjoining hospital by 50 percent, doubling exam rooms and creating additional meeting rooms and a new, separate wing for the ER.

The $128.1 million project would receive $38 million from the university — $24 million of which has already been raised — and $88.7 million from state-funded borrowing, which the state Legislature will have to approve in the 2019-’21 budget.

The Legislative debate on the budget will be determined by the winner of the Nov. 6 gubernatorial election, who will propose a budget in early 2019.

Although the start date of construction on the project is still unclear, the Board of Regents ranked the project as 10th in priority.