Student health and well-being at the University of Louisville got a major boost with the Board of Trustees Finance Committee’s approval of a $10 million capital renovation project.
The funding, approved at the committee’s March 19 meeting, will support the creation of a new Student Wellness Center, which will be located in the Miller Information Technology Center on the university’s Belknap Campus. The measure goes before the full board for a final vote at its April 23 regular meeting.
Currently, Campus Health and the Counseling Center are housed in separate facilities on opposite ends of Belknap Campus. According to Michael Mardis, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, the renovated space in Miller will allow for additional therapy rooms, additional exam rooms, a dedicated group therapy room and psychological assessment room, procedure rooms and more.
“This new space will foster real-time collaboration and seamless care coordination between medical and mental health providers,” Mardis said. “It also will provide a modern, welcoming environment that normalizes help-seeking behavior and educates students about their health as they prepare for the larger world.”
Mardis added that such a space is necessary to meet the increasing needs for mental and physical care at UofL, which are consistent with national trends.
Pending full board approval, Student Affairs will provide $6.5 million, with an additional $3.5 million generated through philanthropic efforts. The project is expected to be completed in about two years.
Academic and Student Affairs Committee action
The Academic and Student Affairs Committee approved the establishment of the Ray E. Murphy and Ann P. Murphy Endowed Chair in Nutrition and Health in the School of Medicine. The $2 million endowment will be funded by the Ann P. Murphy Trust ($1 million) with an additional $1 million match requested from the Council on Postsecondary Education Endowment Match Program (Bucks for Brains) pending approval of the UofL Board of Trustees. Named after Ray Murphy ’59 and his spouse, Ann, the endowed chair provides needed resources to educate the next generation of physicians, dieticians, nutritionists and nurses.
The Academic and Student Affairs Committee also approved the creation of a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) in Global Supply Chain Management, effective for the summer 2026 semester, pending full board approval. The program will prepare students to manage international supply chains by addressing logistics, distribution systems, procurement, supplier relations, inventory/quality/project management, analytics, IT and artificial intelligence as well as the impact of customs, regulations and cultural differences. Applied learning will be developed in partnership with supply chain leaders from UPS, Brown-Forman, Amazon, PPL, GXO and DHL.
Additionally, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee approved the creation of a Graduate Certificate in Educational Administrative Leadership. Pending full board approval, the program will be offered in the fall 2026 semester and will provide a pathway for educators to earn Level 1 Principalship certification in Kentucky – the required entry-level credential for those seeking administrative roles in P-12 setting.
The next meeting of the University of Louisville Board of Trustees will take place Thursday, April 23, at 1 p.m. in the Jefferson Room of Grawemeyer Hall on Belknap Campus. Meeting agendas, minutes, schedules and other information is available on the UofL Board of Trustees website.
