A portion of the cost of expanding Colorado State University’s veterinary school and constructing a new medical school at the University of Northern Colorado would be funded by the state under a plan pitched Monday by Gov. Jared Polis.
Polis’ plan, designed to address workforce shortages in human and animal health care in Colorado, would provide $50 million in funding toward CSU’s new Veterinary Health and Education Complex and $128 million for a new medical school at UNC in Greeley, spokespersons for each school said Monday.
The bill would also help fund new facilities at Metropolitan State University of Denver and Trinidad State College for training and certification programs for nurses and nursing and dental assistants.
The funding plan, through $247 million in state-authorized certificates of participation, is being introduced with bipartisan support, the governor’s office said, but still needs legislative approval.
“It’s going to be a big deal for the whole state,” Polis told the Coloradoan in a video interview a few hours before formally announcing the plan. “With our growing population and with many health care professionals retiring early or burning out during the (COVID-19) pandemic, we have a shortage that’s projected to grow even stronger with an aging population. So, it’s absolutely critical that we train more nurses, doctors, nurse assistants, veterinarians right here in Colorado.”