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UNR president pitches research buildings, housing and StreetReach partnership with Washoe County
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Summary
University of Nevada, Reno president Brian Sandoval told the Washoe County commissioners the campus is expanding research and housing capacity, previewed a $137 million Life Sciences Building and announced an MOU to integrate the university’s StreetReach mobile outreach into county services — including a proposed transfer of the county’s mobile health vehicle (item 16).
University of Nevada, Reno President Brian Sandoval delivered a wide‑ranging update to the Washoe County Board of County Commissioners on April 28, outlining campus growth, research investments and new community partnerships.
Sandoval said the university now enrolls more than 24,000 students and has invested roughly $625 million in campus projects in the last six years. He highlighted four large projects: University Village affordable faculty/graduate housing, a 55,000‑square‑foot Nevada State Public Health Lab (scheduled for completion this October), a 72,000‑square‑foot indoor athletics field house, and a proposed 300,000‑square‑foot GSR arena. “We are taking our rightful place at the table of the greatest universities in the United States,” Sandoval said, adding the campus is “growing in enrollment, growing in research, growing in physical presence, and growing in community impact.”
Sandoval also described the planned Life Sciences Building, a major research facility he said will train students for health‑care and biotech careers. He said the project combines a $68.5 million state appropriation and a $30 million gift; the university described the building as a roughly $137 million investment that will add research labs, teaching labs and a 300‑seat lecture hall.
On community‑facing services, Sandoval told the commissioners the university has signed a memorandum of understanding with Washoe County to integrate StreetReach — a nurse‑led street health outreach program — into county services. The MOU will enable increased data and referral sharing, use of space at the CARES campus resource center, and allow HIV, HBV and HCV testing at CARES campus and at safe campsite locations, Sandoval said. He specifically called attention to item 16 on the county agenda: the proposed transfer of the county’s mobile health outreach vehicle to the university to support StreetReach.
Commissioners commended the university’s community role. Vice Chair Garcia asked Sandoval to expand on the Collegiate Academy that brings college classes to high‑school students; Sandoval said the program now serves thousands of students across dozens of Nevada high schools and can help improve college attainment. Commissioner Clark and other members praised the university’s local economic impact, including jobs and contractor work tied to campus construction.
Sandoval said the university is pursuing a proposal to create an in‑state doctor of veterinary medicine program and plans to seek Board of Regents approval to hire a founding dean; he suggested provisional accreditation could be sought in the coming years and the program could enroll its first class later in the decade. He emphasized that many details — accreditation steps and timelines — remain subject to Board of Regents review.
The presentation closed after Sandoval’s remarks and a brief question period. The commission did not take formal action on the UNR presentation itself but noted continued collaboration between the university and county on items later on the agenda.
