Bismarck State College has received authorization from the State Board of Higher Education to name a building after Robert A. Kuntz, BSC's chief buildings and grounds officer who died unexpectedly Aug. 4 at age 50.
The new maintenance building funded by the state Legislature will be named the Robert A. Kuntz Physical Plant Building to honor his memory.
Bob Kuntz worked at BSC for 24 years and had long advocated for a new physical plant building. During those years, Kuntz left a huge footprint across campus with completion of numerous new construction and remodeling projects and moving the campus toward energy efficiency.
The day after Kuntz's death, BSC President Larry C. Skogen was reflecting on how much Kuntz had done for BSC and the tragedy of not living to see the new physical plant building.
"It struck me then that the proper response to Bob's passing was that we should name the new building in honor of him. Everyone readily agreed," Skogen said.
The new physical plant building will replace an old white storage building behind the BSC armory. Originally situated off-campus, the white building had been a dormitory to house WWII-era German prisoners and interned Japanese Americans at Fort Abraham Lincoln, now United Tribes Technical College. Kuntz was examining it with staff from the State Historical Society of North Dakota on his last day at BSC. He was stricken that night.
The new maintenance building funded by the state Legislature will be named the Robert A. Kuntz Physical Plant Building to honor his memory.
Bob Kuntz worked at BSC for 24 years and had long advocated for a new physical plant building. During those years, Kuntz left a huge footprint across campus with completion of numerous new construction and remodeling projects and moving the campus toward energy efficiency.
The day after Kuntz's death, BSC President Larry C. Skogen was reflecting on how much Kuntz had done for BSC and the tragedy of not living to see the new physical plant building.
"It struck me then that the proper response to Bob's passing was that we should name the new building in honor of him. Everyone readily agreed," Skogen said.
The new physical plant building will replace an old white storage building behind the BSC armory. Originally situated off-campus, the white building had been a dormitory to house WWII-era German prisoners and interned Japanese Americans at Fort Abraham Lincoln, now United Tribes Technical College. Kuntz was examining it with staff from the State Historical Society of North Dakota on his last day at BSC. He was stricken that night.