Friday, November 6, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section A • Page 3
University OKs progress of classroom renovations
"To be a great University we must ... recognize the physical legacy that it passes to the generation who will work and stay there in the future and therefore maintains, preserves and enhances its facilities and physical setting."
Chancellor Robert Hemenway 1995 Faculty Convocation address
CURRENT PROJECTS
Since then, the University has received about $44 million from the crumbling classrooms proposal, Hemenway said.
Blake Han
Marvin Hall
These projects are: moving the School of Education into Joseph R. Pearson Hall by the year 2000, building an addition onto Murphy Hall and making infrastructure improvements in Strong and Maiott halls.
Blake Hall Wescoe Hall
Wescoe Hall Haworth Hall
By Liz Wristen
Kansan staff writer
Chancellor Robert Memenway and other University officials think the University of Kansas has done a good job enhancing classrooms with funding from the crumbling classrooms projects.
He proposed that the University become partners with the Board of Regents, the Governor and the Legislature to allocate sufficient funds to meet infrastructure needs.
Funding also has been used for more campus lighting, finishing modifications to interior lighting systems and for electrical upgrades, said Butch Larios, management systems analyst for facilities operations. He said that the main projects usually would be given to outside contractors because of facilities operations' hectic schedule.
"Primarily, our department is more interested in maintaining the buildings rather than remodeling." Larios said. "I think that some of the classroom projects have put a burden on us because they have taken away from the time we spend on regular maintenance."
Fraser Hall Malcolm Hall
Isaac "Bud" Stallworth, assistant director of design and construction management and the coordinator of the crumbling classrooms projects, said that the main goal of the project was to identify the educational infrastructure buildings on campus that need upgrading.
In his 1995 Vocation Speech, Hemenway addressed the problems of crumbling classrooms, antiquated electrical infrastructures and inadequate computer facilities at the University.
four major projects.
Dole Human Development Center Learned Hall
He said that surveys were sent to different departments on campus so that the University could find out which classrooms needed the most attention.
Stallworth said that it had been a struggle for the University to work with the outdated buildings and around class schedules.
Stallworth said he thought the University had done a good job upgrading University facilities. But it hasn't been easy.
"Overall, it's been a coordinating and scheduling nightmare." Stallworth said. "I think for us to have accomplished as much as we have over the past few years, we've done a commendable job."
Stallworth said the University was spending about $27 million of the crumbling classroom funding on
"A lot of the buildings have needed many upgrades, like electrical and computer, and general upgrades of carpet and painting." Stallworth said. "We have also had to plan our work around the academic calendar."
Mike Richardson, director of Facilities Operations, said that he was pleased with the work across campus.
"I're really glad to see it all happen," Richardson said. "I think the updates have been timely and well-received across the University."
Hemenway said that there was more than $150 million in capital construction going on at the University at the present time. There is still more than $100,000 to be used in future projects.
Task force decides schools need groups to coordinate, plan
By Jason Pearce
Kanson staff writer
TOPEKA — A state task force designed to improve higher education governance concluded yesterday that the best way to reach that end might be to establish two additional governmental bodies.
Acting on a proposal by State Rep. David Adkins (R-Leawood), the Governor's Task Force On Higher Education Structure for Excellence decided that it would focus on a proposal to implement a new council to govern community colleges and vocational technical schools. The second body — a coordinating council of higher education — would provide planning and coordination among the different institutions.
These councils would need approval from the Legislature and Gov. Bill Graves. They also could require an amendment to the state constitution.
Adkins said that the proposal would have to detail how the system as a whole would benefit all institutions.
"It will have to be accountable, so policy makers will feel comfortable with additional funding." Adkins said.
Task force member Ken Havner said that the goals of the new bureaucracies would outweigh any additional costs.
"These are costs that people will accept." he said.
Before the decision, representatives from several state groups informed the task force how they stood on the issue.
Bill Docking, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents, told the task force that regents members were behind an idea for a new coordinating body that would perform 12 tasks.
Docking said that the new council also would have an advocacy role for the institutions' yearly budgets.
These functions could be per-
NEW COUNCILS
The task force will draft a proposal to establish two additional state councils on higher education.
having Council would provide All sector strategic planning
The Kansas Higher Education Coordinating Council would provide:
All sector data collection and analysis
- Unlimited budget admission
- Conflict resolution between sectors
- Financial assistance program
Off-campus course and program review
The Kansas Board of Post-Secondary Education Trustees would set accreditation standards and provide:
Policy analysis and problem solving
Course and program approval and review
Budget requests for state funding
formed as long as it did not interfere with the current governing systems, which have produced high quality and high access at a low cost, he said.
The task force will meet one more time before the end of the year and is expected to recommend a draft to the Legislature when it reconvenes next year.
Korb Maxwell, legislative director of the Student Legislative Awareness Board, spoke to the task force as a representative of the Kansas Student Congress on Higher Education Governance.
Maxwell informed the task force that the student congress' wanted to hold all programs, classes and instructors to a standard of excellence. The congress also is interested in continuing to make education affordable and providing an outlet for students' opinions.
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Maxwell said that the student congress would testify in front of the Legislature about these issues next year.
"The key for us is to keep sounding off on students' goals," he said.
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