The Idaho State Board of Education approved three new faculties for fiscal year 2028, on Thursday, Aug 13. These new facilities include a “Top Secret” research facility for the College of Engineering, a four-story building for engineering and science, and a joint military science and veterans’ assistance facility. Though there is an approval by the state, there isn’t an official building plan from the university.
The “Top-Secret” building will be a 3,360 square foot facility to help “advance cybersecurity and critical infrastructure research,” according to UI. It will be built to meet federal security requirements so that students can work on projects that require a high level of security, which current UI facilities are not able to fulfil. UI is asking the state for $5.6 million in state funds for the $8.3 million project.
The four-story 100,000 square foot building for engineering and science will be a $115 million project that will offer assorted laboratories and specialized equipment.
According to the State of Idaho Permanent Building Fund Capital Budget Request, submitted in 2025, the project will “expand undergraduate capacity while promoting robust, multi-disciplinary research programs across the Colleges of Engineering and Science in areas most critical to Idaho.”
The third building proposed is a new joint military science and veterans’ assistance facility where all military programs like the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) and Veterans Assistance Center can be housed in one location instead of scattered around campus.
According to an article by The Spokesman Review, UI is considering if the 68-year-old vacant Targhee Hall can be repurposed to house the joint military science building, or if it is best to build a new facility.
Emily Morales can be reached at [email protected]