When the University conditionally approved the JDUC renovation project in 2019, it also agreed to contribute $10 million in donor funds before the project could break ground. As of October, the University has raised just over $3 million of that goal.

“Fundraising completed prior to the pandemic has thus far raised just over $3M in confirmed and committed gifts,” the University wrote in a statement to The Journal. “Advancement continues its efforts with potential donors, though the impacts of COVID-19 and the economic downturn that has accompanied the pandemic have impacted those efforts in a variety of ways. The longer-term impacts of the pandemic on the project remain to be seen.”

READ MORE:Board of Trustees conditionally approves JDUC redevelopment

The JDUC renovation is scheduled to begin in May 2021, but it requires the $10 million to move forward on that timeline

Though the University had said in April 2019 that the $10 million in donor funds was expected to be in place by Fall 2020 to continue advancing the project, it now asserts that the timeline to reach the goal is June 30, 2021.

“Under a Capital Framework Agreement between the University, the Alma Mater Society (AMS) and the Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS), the timeline to reach the $10 million goal is June 30, 2021, with a provision for an extension to August 31, 2021,” the University wrote.

The AMS and the SGPS will contribute another $50.5 million over 25 years to the JDUC renovation through an annual student levy fee of $40 per student.

READ MORE: AMS concerned about lack of communication from University about isolation residences

AMS President Jared den Otter told The Journal the AMS is in discussion with Karen Bertrand, vice president (advancement), about progress on the project.

“[W]e have asked Advancement to release a report on behalf of the Advancement Office to students on the progress and to ensure transparency of the student funding,” den Otter wrote.

“Communication between the AMS and the Advancement office has been lacking, and we have reached out to Karen Bertrand to receive a more in-depth status update on the fundraising goal.”

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