The Stetson Reporter

life | Green Hat Media's student-produced WHAT radio provides over 26 hours of programming for the Stetson community every week. Co-founders Nathan Wolek and Bryan Batchelder started the organization last year to broadcast the School of Music's concerts and provide Stetson with a radio station. [ cover, section B ] wed 17 feb-99 issue 18 volume 111 ^ sdtililsss $22.9 million to be spent on residencehaDs by andy dehnart | Over the next five-years, the university will spend nearly $23 million to renovate all residence halls, complete a centralized air conditioning system, and address emergency projects. A report to the Board of Trustees obtained by The . Reporter cites "serious architectural and services prob- ■ lems," "deterioration of the buildings," and "an inability to control and/or maintain the building environment and indoor air quality." Work begins this summer when fraternity houses A- E will undergo what the report describes as "limited renewal" because of the smaller size of that space. Simultaneously, work will begin on a new chilled water distribution plant, which will provide a centralized a/c to the residence halls upon completion. Nemec Hall follows next spring and summer. The project is beginning now because, according to the report, "failure to address these problems will lead to an ever increasing commitment of time and money" to keep the residence halls in operation, and a lack of attention to the facilities will have "serious implications for recruitment and retention of students." Because the fraternity houses are empty during the summer, no relocation of residents will be necessary. Next winter, however, the w 60 residents of Nemec Hall's Alpha and Beta pods will be relocated to vacancies across campus to allow for work there and on the main lobby of the building, according to .Michelle Espinosa, director of Residential Life. The rest of Nemec and part of Smith will be worked on the following summer. Renovation will Z O H < > O z a. < x The project is beginning now because, according to the report, "failure to address these problems will lead to an ever increasing commitment of time and money" to keep the residence halls in operation, and will have "serious implications for recruitment and retention of students." continue every spring with work on a portion of a building that accommodates about 60 residents, who will be relocated at that point. The RAs in those areas will be relocated, too, but will continue to assist Residential Life and will "not lose their . benefits," Espinosa said. The fall semester will be used to prepare the building scheduled for that spring's upgrade. With overcrowding already a problem, displacing 60 students each spring may create an "overcapacity" situation, Espinosa said. Residential Life is "moving all the RAs to double rooms" with roommates next year to address that problem, and options for overflow housing are also being considered. Also under consideration is a change in policy that currently prohibits seniors to move off-campus without financial penalty. Espinosa said that "changing the financial aid policy" was something under consideration, but because she was away last week, she was not sure of the status pf that proposal. Dr. Jim Beasley, vice president for Campus Life, was away for the week and unavailable for comment. Espinosa said that "the environment of the building itself — such as the lighting and air quality — will be improved as.a result of the renovations. However, "what the students will see is what is being done with carpet and paint..we're riot talking about a full-scale residence hall renovation," Espinosa said. | Nemec Alpha and Beta, the first buildings to be renovated midyear, currently serve as Honors Program residence halls. Because of that, the undergraduate Honors residence halls will be moved to the upper floors of Carson-Hollis, which will accommodate 100 students. ) "The facility of Carson-Hollis lends itself well to... a special interest house," Espinosa said. The basement lounge, patio and vacated Carson health club will be "great community gathering spots," she said. Also, "given the right furnishings," Espinosa said they are exploring the "option of [holding] some of the [Honors] seminar classes" in that space as well. Residents in Nemec aren't happy with the changes. - ' Andrew Gosnell, a first-year resident of Nemec's Alpha building,*said that "the loss of our pods will be detrimental to our sense of community. Losing the pods will be a loss of the Honors program itself." After the upgrade is complete in Nemec, Espinosa said that it's certainly an "option" for the Honors residence hall to move back to Nemec. [ see HALLS, page 3a ] The new $1.4 million field is the result of a partnership between Stetson, the City of Deland, and the DeLand Sports Redevelopment Association. WELCOME Jeff Altier, director of Athletics, welcomes both the DeLand and Stetson community to the opening festivities for Melching Field. Also, synchronicity dances [right] before the opening pitch of the game between the Hatters and the Louisville Cardinals, photos by randi duhigg with their new stadium, the Hatters have a FINISHED: Melching Field at Conrad Park opened on time for the Hatters first home game against the Louisville Cardinals. Opening ceremonies occurred last Friday evening. SkyDive DeLand [upper left] dropped in on the opening ceremonies to deliver the ceremonial first pitch balls, photos BY RANDI DUHIGG by randi duhigg | Last Friday, Melching Field was unveiled to the awaiting Stetson and DeLand community. Even though rain' threatened the opening festivities, all seats were packed with anticipating fans, of the Stetson Hatters and Louisville Cardinals, x "I think we have hit a home run with Melching Field," said Bill Foley, head of Foley & Associates Construction Company, during the opening ceremonies of Conrad Park on Friday. ! A record crowd of 2862 fans were on hand for the inaugural game against the Louisville Cardinals and the opening night festivities. Despite the 2500 person limit DeLand fire marshal Bill Wilkms set, according to an article in the Daytona Beach News-Journal. The pregame activities included an elephant from DeLand based Clyde Beatty-Cole Brothers Circus roaming the parking lot, and a performance by a local country music band. Dropping in on the opening ceremonies were four skydivers from SkyDive DeLand, who carried in the four balls used for the symbolic first pitches. Balls were thrown by President Lee and other dignitaries. . Students, faculty, and staff alike mostly liked the at-: mosphere of the new stadium. Joyce Mepham, a cashier in the Commons, thought the stadium "[was] fantabulous, [and that] it look[ed] like big time pro." With a packed stadium, lines at the two concession stands were long. "One girl we were with left in the first inning to get a hot dog and didn't get back till the fifth," commented A.C. Cashdollar. Cashdollar continued, "They need to have students walking around selling hot dogs if they don't have room for more [concession] lines." He humorously added, "I need a job, anyway." Stetson University president, Doug Lee, reminded the crowd that "We owe a special thanks to the Conrad and Melching families and all the donors that made [Melching Field a reality.]" He continued, "When the trustees get behind a project at gets done, and we thank them." . In memory of her husband, R. Dale Melching, Luella Melching donated $500,000. Hawtense Conrad, the daughter-in-law of E. R. Conrad, contributed an additional $100,000 to the renovation of the complex bearing her family's name. On hand for the opening, Conrad said, "I just hope you all enjoy it as much as I do." , Planning on the stadium, which was built in 223 days, began in July of last year. The stadium, itself came about because of a partnership between the City of DeLand, Stetson University, and the DeLand Sports Redevelopment Association. The partnership allows the university to have all the good things associated with a baseball stadium while the problems of maintenance and liability remain with the city. Because of the partnership with the city other events will take place and other teams will play there. Conrad Park was chosen as the location for the new stadium because those involved were looking for a way to welcome people to DeLand. Additionally, that is why when you look at the stadium you see the familiar red brick and metallic dark green that are the familiar sites on the university campus, and not the field. Randi Duhigg enjoyed watching the Hatters defeat the Cardinals. 24/7 should spread beyond main halls BY JASON ogonowski | This letter is in reference to the editorial on 24/7 visitation that appeared in the February 3 issue. The implementation of 24/7 visitation is long o\erdue on this campus, and while I applaud The Reporter for trying to put this issue on the front burner where it belongs, I do feel their formula for changed listed in the editorial is a bit conservative. I understand that some students likely prefer the visitation policy we have now, and they should continue to live under it. However, I don't believe those students require two entire residence halls as was suggested in the editorial. [ read this story in Forum, page 4a ] Knight-n-Gayle rap M«</„' V ™&ZP*r**~orr /*# < i. GET THE MESSAGE; Ulysses Knight and Elardio Gayle perform at Night Lites last week for Black History Month. PHOTO BY JULIE GOWAN [ read this story in Life, page 2b ] ia Phi Epsilon coach YMCA b-bal by randi duhigg | The members of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity spent numerous hours volunteering as coaches for a team in the Volusia County YMCA Youth Magic Basketball league. According to member A.C. Cashdollar, Sigma Phi Epsilon takes community service so seriously because "we are trying to instill a sense of community awareness in ourselves that will spread to other areas of thevcountry when our brothers graduate.". He continued, "we feel that by keeping our community service activities localized that we can make differences for kids and adults here and now in Volusia county." \' [ read this story "in Sports, page 5b ]