"Depending on market conditions and project progress, these projects should be completed within the next four to five years," Lau told GlobeSt.com. "These facilities are definitely needed, the college has grown and space is limited."Private donations will be used to build the facilities, Lau said. He said the college has already received $25 million from Ann Lurie of Chicago, part of which was to build the Robert H. Lurie Engineering Center, and also to pay for the biomedical and electronics laboratory expansions. Also, alumni Jerry W. Levin and Kevin O'Connor have pledged two gifts totaling $10 million to the College of Engineering. O'Connor's $5 million gift will go toward a new building on north campus to house the College's growing computer science program.

Levin is chairman and CEO of Sunbeam Corp. He graduated from the College of Engineering with a BSE in electrical engineering in 1966 and another BSE in engineering math in 1967. O'Connor is the co-founder, chairman and former CEO of the online marketing company DoubleClick Inc. He earned his BSE degree in electrical engineering in 1983 from the University of Michigan.

"The education that I received at the University of Michigan has meant a lot to me," said O'Connor. "The computer science program has flourished in the last few years, and I am very pleased to help provide for its future growth."

Established in 1854, the UM College of Engineering is one of the oldest engineering schools in the country.