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Gov. Rick Perry signs HB 1775 at SFA
Board of Regents Chairwoman Valerie Ertz, Lucille DeWitt, Gov. Rick Perry, School of Nursing Director Glenda Walker and SFA President Dr. Baker Pattillo.
Dr. Baker Pattillo addresses the overflow audience gathered in the Regents board room.
Gov. Rick Perry describes how SFA will help address the nursing shortage in the state of Texas.
State Rep. Wayne Christian said Dr. Baker Pattillo worked feverishly to get funding for the project.
State Sen. Robert Nichols praises Lucille DeWitt for her foresight on this project.
An overflow audience gathered Tuesday in the Room 307 of the Austin Building to see and celebrate Gov. Rick Perry signing House Bill 1775.
State Sen. Robert Nichols, Rep. Wayne Christian, Rep. Jim McReynolds and members of the board of regents were in attendance, along with SFA administrators and others from the campus community.
HB 1775 authorizes $13 million for facility improvements including classrooms, laboratories and faculty offices at the future site of the Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing.
The DeWitts donated nearly 17 acres of prime real estate and facilities totaling 35,000 square feet for the expansion of SFA's nursing program. Regents accepted the gift at their January board meeting.
The site is appraised at $1.4 million, and formerly served as a distribution center for the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants the DeWitts owned.
SFA President Dr. Baker Pattillo said he was told that there would be no tuition revenue bonds granted in the 80th Legislative Session. Since SFA had received $30 million in tuition revenue bonds in the previous session, it was considered highly unlikely that SFA would receive any additional funding.
However, Pattillo said he went "door to door" in Austin making the needs known — and educating legislators about the role the SFA School of Nursing could play in addressing the shortage of nurses throughout the state and nation.
Perry said the gift from Lucille DeWitt and her late husband was very gracious.
"We've planted a seed that's going to grow and serve the state for years to come," he said. "Nursing is a demanding profession that requires long hours, intense study and patience. Those in the profession are interacting with those who need a healing touch."
Perry said that too often nursing students have to be turned away, because there is also a shortage of nursing faculty in Texas universities. That is another shortage the state is working to address, he said.
Dr. Glenda Walker, director of the School of Nursing, said the gift has enabled the school to move forward.
"I was told that the chances of getting $13 million were nil to 0," she said. "It was a miracle, but there were others involved. My 85-year-old mother always said God puts the right people in the right place at the right time. Lucy DeWitt came into my life 15 years ago, and she's been an angel on my shoulder ever since. She donated this property, and the regents accepted it. The right people were in the right place at the right time."