Spring Break
Field repairs raise concern
by Jillian Wagner
News Editor
News | 9/9/08
Posted online at 5:12 AM EST on 9/9/08
The practice field located next to the commuter rail is now being used as a parking lot for construction vehicles, which has caused an irreversible loss of about $19,000 that was spent to irrigate the field over the summer, according to Jacob Bockelmann '09, a board member of the Club Sports Council.
Bockelmann said that last year the Club Sports Council decided to use rollover Student Activities Fee funds allocated to the Club Sports Council by the Finance Board to renovate the practice field next to the train station that club sports has used for practice for years.
Director of Athletics Sheryl Sousa said in an e-mail to the Justice, "At the end of last semester, when there was funding remaining in the Club Sports budget, the Club Sports Council and The [F-Board] agreed to reinvest the funds into the Club Sports Program. The Council identified two projects, improvements to the practice field, as it has been used almost exclusively by club teams, and the addition of matting to one of the rooms in the Linsey building that is used by the martial arts clubs."
Bockelmann shared an e-mail with the Justice that he received June 11 from Club Sports Coordinator Ben White. In the e-mail, White wrote, "I had plans to install irrigation and sod on our practice field. The irrigation was mostly installed [June 10] (At the cost of roughly $19,000). During the installation process I learned that the University would be taking the practice field away from the department and turning it into a parking lot. At this point, we've been told that the change is temporary and the field will be returned to us within a year or two-ideally with sod and irrigation."
In an e-mail to the Justice, Sousa wrote, "When we were informed of the need to temporarily reallocate the practice field for parking, some funds had already been expended to improve the field. The University has promised to finish the intended field improvements at the time when the field is no longer needed for parking. The field improvements will happen; they have been simply delayed." Sousa did not respond to a question sent by e-mail regarding the exact amount of funds that were spent.
Bockelmann said that last year the Club Sports Council decided to use rollover Student Activities Fee funds allocated to the Club Sports Council by the Finance Board to renovate the practice field next to the train station that club sports has used for practice for years.
Director of Athletics Sheryl Sousa said in an e-mail to the Justice, "At the end of last semester, when there was funding remaining in the Club Sports budget, the Club Sports Council and The [F-Board] agreed to reinvest the funds into the Club Sports Program. The Council identified two projects, improvements to the practice field, as it has been used almost exclusively by club teams, and the addition of matting to one of the rooms in the Linsey building that is used by the martial arts clubs."
Bockelmann shared an e-mail with the Justice that he received June 11 from Club Sports Coordinator Ben White. In the e-mail, White wrote, "I had plans to install irrigation and sod on our practice field. The irrigation was mostly installed [June 10] (At the cost of roughly $19,000). During the installation process I learned that the University would be taking the practice field away from the department and turning it into a parking lot. At this point, we've been told that the change is temporary and the field will be returned to us within a year or two-ideally with sod and irrigation."
In an e-mail to the Justice, Sousa wrote, "When we were informed of the need to temporarily reallocate the practice field for parking, some funds had already been expended to improve the field. The University has promised to finish the intended field improvements at the time when the field is no longer needed for parking. The field improvements will happen; they have been simply delayed." Sousa did not respond to a question sent by e-mail regarding the exact amount of funds that were spent.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Nathan Goldstein
posted 9/09/08 @ 10:38 AM EST
So let me get this straight, in order to avoid a $5,000-$10,000 rental fee for off campus parking, the University decided it made more sense to destroy a recently completed $19,000 infrastructure project?
That seems extremely irresponsible to me. (Continued…)
Jasmine
posted 9/09/08 @ 12:12 PM EST
Do the University and its employees have any respect for the fact that students are funding all of this? Every time Carl J. Shapiro puts down another million, does that erase the thousands and millions we've given?
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