While some students and faculty might have hoped Gov. Rod Blagojevich would release state funding for renovations on the deteriorating Lincoln Hall, the governor instead announced he will release $18 million in state capital dollars for expansion and remodeling at the Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, when he visited the University Friday.

The Micro and Nanotechnology Lab in the College of Engineering supports research in photonics, microelectronics, nanotechnology and biotechnology.

"Knowing the money we award will be used to help further the research of a faculty that has two Nobel Prize winners certainly helps," Blagojevich said.

Blagojevich said when he awards state dollars he generally looks for certain criteria like need, availability of funds or potential for economic growth.

He said that Lincoln Hall did meet the criteria for economic development, but it was still undergoing an evaluation process where officials determine how much money can be allocated for the hall's renovation.

When the governor took office he froze all existing project appropriations, said Steve Rugg, vice president for administration at the University. The request of state funds for the Micro and Nanotechnology Lab was one of the projects that was frozen and is now being released.

"We would have preferred that the governor release all projects," Rugg said. "We are all anxious for the Lincoln Hall project to be released."

The request of state funds for the construction of Lincoln Hall is third on the priority list for next year, Rugg said.

Trustee Robert Sperling, one Board of Trustees member in attendance at the governor's speech, said it was fabulous that the governor was awarding the University money for the Micro and Nanotechnology Lab.

"It's a clear recognition by the governor of all the wonderful things that go on here," he said.

The governor agreed that there are a lot of wonderful things happening at the University as he congratulated Nobel Prize winners Paul Lauterbur and Anthony Leggett for their achievements.

"This is the direction we need to move in," he said. "These changes that we're doing can retain and help recruit future Nobel Prize faculty."