A sweeping $115.3 million plan to build science facilities and upgrade laboratories at South Dakota's public universities is expected to win final approval from the Board of Regents today.

Officials say the initiative will change the culture of the university system, adding that more laboratory space and new equipment are necessary to meet increased demands by students and instructors for research opportunities.

New buildings or major renovations are planned on each of the six core campuses, and research capabilities also would be expanded at the system's joint university center in Sioux Falls.

The initiative would be financed by $74.5 million in state bonds, with the remaining money coming from federal and private sources.