John Folse Culinary Institute Getting $8 Million Facelift

The John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University is getting a major facelift. The Thibodaux, La.-based culinary school is getting $8.1 million to build a new headquarters building, whose plans should be finalized by October, with construction due to be completed "by mid-2014."

With higher education in the state otherwise getting the squeeze, that seems like a pretty hefty investment. To which University College dean Al Davis says: "The future of higher education depends on locating one-of-a-kind programs that will attract students from the state, the nation and throughout the world. Our state government recognizes that the culinary arts program at Nicholls is such a program."

· New Building Funding Approved for Nicholls State Culinary School [AP]