The University of New Mexico will begin constructing its new College of Nursing and Public Health Excellence Building. The announcement was made by school officials and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Monday.The building's floor plans show it will be three floors with classrooms on the first two stories. The building's project is estimated to cost around $43 million, using $30 million in general obligation bonds and $2.5 million in the general fund.Lujan Grisham acknowledged the state's nursing shortage but is optimistic about the newly invested funds. “New Mexico, like the rest of the country, is faced with a critical shortage of nurses,” Lujan Grisham said. “By investing in the state’s largest nursing program and providing additional resources to programs around New Mexico, we are going to see real progress toward meeting our goal of a healthy nursing workforce.” Lujan Grisham also announced $15 million for several state nursing programs through the American Rescue Plan. The funding will reach 17 schools, ranging from universities to community colleges. It will be used to add more availability for nursing students, tutoring for the licensure exam, and run nursing facilities.