PIERRE, S.D. (WNAX) – The Joint Appropriations Committee of the South Dakota legislature approved a bill setting aside $5 million for a new health sciences building at USD in Vermillion.

The building would be built on the current site of Julian Hall and bring together a number of health science majors scattered across the campus.

Legislators on the committee had a number of questions about the project and USD President Sheila Gestring says that is part of the process.

Gestring says this is a critical part of improving health care.

Gestring says they expect rapid growth in the need for these students.

Total cost for the project is expected to be about $22 million with most of that raised privately.

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