Brown and White Vol. 88 no. 50

              lehigh universty brown and white bethlehem pa tuesday may 3 1977 vol 88 — no 50 215^866^331 forum calls on trustees to reconsider arena plans resolution approved 48-27 by jerry miller the forum has requested the university board of trustees to reconsider plans for construction of a planned 3.5 million indoor arena the action was approved by the forum yesterday by a vote of 47 to 28 the resolution authorizing the action states that the operating and maintenance costs for the building would impose a significant demand upon the univer sity's unrestricted funds which are derived mainly from tuition income these funds would better be used for academic purposes according to the resolution the forum believes strongly m refraining from non-academic projects which divert the university's unrestricted funds and at the same time mandate tuition increases the resolution states if the arena required 100,000 per year for maintenance and operating expenses tuition could rise 25 according to lawrence leder chairman of the history department and a sponsor of the resolution present administration estimates for maintenance of the building range between 50,000 and 100,000 a year plans for the construction of the arena were approved by the trustees april 21 the arena to be constructed m saucon valley will have 6,000 permanent seats and be used for spectator sports as well as a variety of campus and local events construction is planned to begin this fall of the 3.5 million needed for the con struction of the building 2.5 million has been raised however those funds at the request of the donors are available only for construction of the arena opposing the resolution at the forum meeting university president deming lewis said the resolution would at best ruffle a few feathers i doubt it could succeed he said the project is the result of seven years of planning and fund raising he explained noting that the money has already been committed for tiie building b&w photo by bogucz m many students took breaks from end-of-the-semester sprina studying to enjoy this weekend's warm weather here jay ferguson 78 left and bob freimuth 78 leap for a frisbee m x the taylor hall quad friday good weather also graced most of icvc?r l as t week's greek week activities for coverage of the week's events see page 7 b&w photo by maduka controversial issues university president deming lewis sets pensively at yesterday's forum meeting during consideration of a motion which requested the university trustees to reconsider plans for a 3.5 million arena lewis has supported plans for the arena since they first were considered m 1971 heller colls forum action illogical by anne fleming news editor the forum resolution calling on the university board of trustees to reconsider plans for construction of an indoor arena is not logical according to newly-elected students activities council sac president chuck heller 78 heller said last night that the arena will enhance the academic reputation of the university maintenance and operating costs could be recouped with profits from concerts and conventions held m the building he said sac favors the general concept of building the 3.5 million indoor arena m saucon valley although it must be done right without a sacrifice of quality heller said heller said he favors the proposed arena because the university presently does not have adequate recreational facilities such a facility would make the university a more complete institution and would build lehigh's commitment to the arts he said the trustees approved plans for the 6,000 seat facility april 21 construction of the building which will be used for spectator sports and a variety of campus and local events is scheduled to begin this fall the forum yesterday voted to ask the trustees to reconsider construction plans for the arena because it felt that academic concerns were of greater importance heller stressed the arena would be available not only for sports but for all aspects of non-academic life at the university the arena would make the university more attractive and enable us to hold larger lectures concerts conferences and alternative programming such as a circus or an orchestra he said heller said the arena would allow the sac to attract everybody but the biggest for concerts we would be the best facility between new york and philadelphia and would by nettie taylor finn will work on encouraging faculty interest the faculty's perception of the forum and the relationship between the forum and the university community must be improved if forum viii is to function effectively according to forum viii chairman brian finn 77 many faculty members do not think the forum is worth their while finn said i hope to increase faculty involvement by dealing with more interesting issues he said the relationship between the forum and maids not to make beds dorms to be cleaned daily by phil klein starting next fall residence halls maids will no longer make beds according to david lee director of residence operations thorough cleaning of rooms will also be reduced from the current three days per week to two next semester he said common areas such as bathrooms hallways social areas and stairwells will receive seven-day coverage an increase from the current five lee said hie changes should create a more efficient cleaning program and provide better service for students he said lee said the decision was a result of a residence halls council rhc questionnaire sent to section presidents early this semester according to former rhc president maureen quirk 77 the survey results indicated that students would rather have common areas cleaner than have their beds made daily cutting out bed making will change the focus to doing more deep cleaning she noted see forum page 5 see sac page 3 see finn page 4 see maid page 3 inside singing david p 4 outdoor circus p 6 no serendipity p 8 sackers out p 12