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Bid awarded for Forensics Center expansion

April 27, 2008 @ 09:03 PM

BEN FIELDS

Herald-Dispatch.com

HUNTINGTON — The Marshall University Board of Governors has awarded a $4.2 million construction bid for the expansion of the school’s Forensic Science Center.

The job went to Huntington contractor Neighborgall Construction Co., which submitted the low bid for the project.

The bid was approved at a board meeting last week.

Terry Fenger, a Marshall professor and director of the Forensic Center, said he hopes ground will be broken on the expansion within the coming weeks. The project involves the construction of a new building adjacent to the main facility.

The forensic science program at Marshall is one of the university’s fastest-growing programs, and is recognized across the country. While the program prepares students for careers in criminal investigation and lab analysis, the center itself is a training ground for law enforcement agencies nationwide, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Fenger said the expansion will help accommodate the growing number of students.

“Right now, we’re at about 20 per classroom, and we’re bursting at the seams,” he said. “We’ll be able to have more students in each class.”

The expansion also will allow for more training, Fenger said.

“The new lab is three times the size of the lab we have now, which is pretty minimal,” he said.