A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds for a school of OPTOMETRY at the university of north carolina at pembroke.
Whereas, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke serves as the anchor institution for economic development for the southeastern region of North Carolina; and
Whereas, an already economically depressed rural area, southeastern North Carolina was recently ravaged by Hurricane Matthew and its record‑breaking rainfall, during which the 1,000‑year flood event devastated people, infrastructure, businesses, schools, and entire communities; and
Whereas, Robeson County ranks 100 out of 100 North Carolina counties for overall health outcomes, the median household income is less than $30,000, 96% of school‑age children receive free or reduced lunch, and 44% of children live in poverty; and
Whereas, a School of Optometry located at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke would be an economic driver for this region of the State; and
Whereas, North Carolina does not have an optometry school and has historically provided support to North Carolina optometry students who are trained out of state; and
Whereas, the need for and utilization of optometry services has increased and will continue to do so, not only as the general population ages, but also as the population of the State of North Carolina continues to grow at an increasing rate. Furthermore, federal and State programs requiring assessment and intervention for early childhood eye and vision health will place a greater need on the current State optometry profession; and
Whereas, most optometrists are concentrated in more urban areas of the State, thus a school in a rural setting can prepare students to meet both the urban and rural practice need; and
Whereas, a School of Optometry at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke would make optometric services more widely available to many low‑income and elderly citizens in the University's immediate service area who currently do not have access to such services; and
Whereas, the optometry workforce does not reflect the racial diversity of North Carolina's population; and
Whereas, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke is "North Carolina's Historically American Indian University" and has been identified by U.S. News and World Report as the most diverse regional university in the South; and
Whereas, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke has strong rural and other health care initiatives in place through programs in nursing, social work, counseling, health administration, and athletic training; and
Whereas, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke is located in close proximity to numerous health care systems as well as the Fort Bragg military installation, thus students at a University of North Carolina at Pembroke School of Optometry would enjoy abundant clinical opportunities; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of three million eight hundred seventy‑five thousand dollars ($3,875,000) for the 2017‑2018 fiscal year for advance planning, design fees, and other preconstruction activities associated with the construction of a facility to house the School of Optometry at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2017.