HERSHEY -- Penn State's Board of Trustees approved the construction of two buildings at the Hershey Medical Center, unveiled a new forensic science major and appointed architects for a Life Sciences II Building at a meeting Friday.

Plans for the new Cancer Institute and the Children's Hospital at the Hershey Medical Center were also discussed.

"It's quite a vision we have for the medical center," said Wayne Zolko, Hershey Medical Center controller.

The new Cancer Institute will be about 155,000 square feet and will be situated near the medical center. It will include clinical and basic research facilities.

"We're hoping to bring a preliminary sketch plan in one year, and we hope to open it by July 2008," Zolko said. "We've started the preliminary programming for the Children's Hospital and are already receiving support and donations."

Darrell Kirch, dean of medicine at the Hershey Medical Center, said they have almost raised one-third of their target funding for the additions to the center.

"Our goal is to raise $65 million for the Children's Hospital and the Cancer Institute," he said. "We already have $20 million committed to the buildings, with $10 million of that coming from Thon."

Kirch said the additional buildings would satisfy the need for more space at the medical center.

"The Cancer Institute and the Children's Hospital are critical to our future," he said.

Dr. Craig Hillemeier, chair of the department of pediatrics at the Hershey Medical Center, spoke about another addition at the medical center -- the new Pediatric Cancer Pavilion.

"Right now, the average pediatric patient has to make a 20 minute, three-quarter mile trip [around the complex] on an average visit to the medical center," he said.

"With the creation of the Pediatric Cancer Pavilion, we will be able to eliminate long walks like this."

Hillemeier said an important aspect in the creation of the pavilion is to design it with the needs of children in mind.

"Our most important goal is to make the facility child friendly," he said.

"We want a hospital designed specifically for pediatric practices with such things like wide hallways for children to play in."

Also, the board said the new forensic science major, part of the Eberly College of Science will begin in the fall and include a forensic science seminar and crime scene investigation class.

In addition, the board appointed Rafael Vinoly Architects of New York and Perfido Weiskopf Architects of Pittsburgh as architects for the new $40 million Life Sciences II Building, which will be built on Pollock fields adjacent to the Life Sciences Building.