Penn State's Board of Trustees voted unanimously Friday to approve a plan involving the Dickinson School of Law that would bring a second law school campus to University Park.

Fund raising for the project began Wednesday, Penn State President Graham Spanier said, and the university has already received its first seven-figure contribution. The university expects to raise $10 million by July 1.

Gov. Ed Rendell has pledged to give matching funds for the project up to $25 million, Spanier added.

In addition to board approval, Spanier said the dual-campus plan was also adopted Friday by the Cumberland County Redevelopment Authority in Carlisle.

"Their approval shows that we are committed to stay in Carlisle for the long term," Spanier said. "It's nice to see that the stars have finally aligned in this project."

Under the agreement outlined in the memorandum of understanding, Dickinson's Board of Governors will be dissolved by Aug. 1, giving control of the Carlisle campus to a new seven-member Board of Directors.

Spanier said the Board of Trustees could vote on an architect for both the renovation of the Carlisle campus and the construction of a University Park law school as early as the board's Sept. 9 meeting.

In addition to money received for the law school project, Rendell has promised the university an additional $50 million, said Gary Schultz, Penn State senior vice president for finance and business.

Forty million dollars will be used for renovations of materials science facilities, and $10 million will be used for construction of a cancer center at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Spanier said he is excited about receiving the additional state funding.

"Funding is tight right now, and it's extraordinary for us to get an additional $50 million from the governor," he said. "He is on exactly the same page we are on about these projects."

An additional construction project approved by the board is the demolition and rebuilding of the Graduate Circle apartments, located on Hastings Road.

Schultz said the current facility was built in 1959, and renovations would not be worthwhile, so it will be rebuilt.

The new facility will house one-, two- and three-bedroom fully furnished apartments, meeting areas and parking for residents and visitors.

Schultz said the project will take about one year to design, and construction will most likely begin in the spring of 2006.

Gordon Turow, director of campus planning and design, also presented a plan for a new commuter parking deck located west of North Atherton Street.

He said the three level deck will accommodate about 649 vehicles and will be completed by 2007.