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Construction Begins on New Archer Building

December 02, 2016

Construction of the new building that will house Angelo State University’s Archer College of Health and Human Services has begun on the east side of campus just off Johnson Street.

Archer Building architectural rendering by PBK Architects Archer Building architectural rendering by PBK Architects The $26 million, 50,000-square-foot Archer Health and Human Services Building will stand three stories tall next to the Vincent Physical Science Building and Ben Kelly Center for Human Performance (CHP) and is scheduled for completion in January 2018. A time lapse video of progress on the construction is available at http://bit.ly/2gvrrme.  

“These are very exciting times,” said Dr. Leslie Mayrand, Archer College dean. “I came into the Vincent Building with the nursing program over 30 years ago, and the building quickly filled up. We weren’t sure how big the nursing program was going to get. We had no graduate programs and we didn’t have the baccalaureate in nursing. The Physical Therapy Department did not even exist at that time.” 

In October 2015, ASU received a $5 million gift from the James B. and Lois. R. Archer Charitable Foundation in San Angelo to help expand the facilities that support the health and human services curriculum. The Texas Tech University System Board of Regents then approved changing the name of the College of Health and Human Services to the “Archer College of Health and Human Services.” 

“Lois and I are so happy to be able to give back to the community,” said James Archer, “and we are hopeful that the gift will contribute to the continued growth and development of ASU.” 

ASU President Brian J. May said, “The Archers’ philanthropy is a terrific statement about their ability to envision the future for our students in health and human services.” 

Then in June 2016, the Texas Legislature and Gov. Greg Abbott approved House Bill 100, which allowed for funding of the new building for the Archer College of Health and Human Services, and the Archer Foundation gift extends funding such that further programs can be added.