It is doubtful that a new science building will ever be completed at Eastern unless the state of Illinois helps out.

“Without state support, we cannot undertake major capital projects such as this,” said Jeff Cooley, vice president for business affairs. “We continue to struggle maintaining worn out and outdated buildings.”

Cooley said the project needs capital development money to be completed.

The new science building would replace the Physical Science Building and the Biological Life Science Building.

The project is in the pre-planning phase and design dollars have been requested since fall 2000. It is projected to cost around $92 million.

Cooley said the administration’s request for funding has not been fulfilled.

“Capital funds have been scarce in the last few years, and this project, like many others, has not been funded,” he said.

Eastern has not received capital development money in the last four or five years, Cooley added.

The Physical Science Building was built in 1939. The Biological Science Building was built in 1963 and the Life Science annex was added in 1964.

An architect cannot be hired for the project until planning money is released.

Scott Tremain, an assistant chemistry professor, said the problem with the Physical Science building is the infrastructure.

“I think everybody agrees it is past its prime,” Tremain said.

The building’s old amenities pose problems with teaching, he added. Space in the building is not a problem for him though.

He said perspective students and faculty can get a sense of how the building struggles to compare to other universities, but said the administration is trying to keep up.

“We are making strong efforts now to compete with other universities,” Tremain said.

The campus master plan has the future science building located on Seventh Street, and across from the Steam Plant.