The Arkansas State University System board of trustees has approved a $30.6 million bond issue to fund the construction of the College of Veterinary Medicine in Jonesboro.
The action followed a recent consultative visit by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Education, which reviewed Arkansas State’s progress on the college’s facilities, policies, personnel and future plans.
Arkansas State plans to welcome its first veterinary students in 2026, which would establish the state’s only public veterinary school. The founding dean is Dr. Heidi E. Cox Banse.
The veterinary college’s design and construction is projected to cost $33.2 million. To finance the project, the university plans to issue taxable Student Fee Revenue Bonds and utilize institutional reserve funds. Ultimately, tuition and fees from future veterinary students would cover the debt service for the building’s construction, ensuring the project’s long-term sustainability.
Nearly 15,000 students are enrolled at Arkansas State.