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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 15, 1981)
Old, dilapidated buildings continue to deteriorate By JOHN MILLS Of the Emerald At first glance a photograph in the physical plant looks like the North Cascades in summertime. But a closer look reveals a picture of the ragged peeling roof of Gerlinger Hall. Even in healthy times the Legislature is reluctant to fund University buildings and physical facilities with more than enough for basic main tenance. Now the word “deferred" appears regularly in front of requests for repairs and safety corrections to the University's buildings. “Over the last 20 years there’s been a general neglect of the physical structures on campus," facilities planner David Rowe says. “The heavy maintenance items have been deferred so it’s getting to the point where there’s nothing left to defer. “The roofs are reaily in pretty bad shape, so that water is seeping down through the walls,” Rowe says. “Gerlinger is in just abominable shape.” Most of the older buildings - Deady, Villard, Susan Campbell and Hendricks — are in “bad shape," Rowe adds. “Window casings are rotting or rotted. In Hendricks you can’t open the window because it will fall out if you push on it.” Mark Westling of the Bureau of Governmen tal Research says, “The building (Hendricks) has had problems continually ever since the bureau moved here eight years ago. Remodeling five years ago solved some difficulties.” A leaking roof continues to cause damage to the south wall, Westling says. “Buckling plaster and stains on the wall” that run from the top of the building down all three floors are evidence ol water damage inside the wall, he adds. Water also “pops up occasionally” in the basement of Hendricks. “We’re wise enough not to store things on the floor itself," Westling says. There are also hidden repair problems on campus such as the condition of some electric transformers at the physical plant, the disrepair of insulation on steam pipes in tunnels under the campus and the condition of water pipes in some of the dormitories. Rowe says carpenters "pulled pipes out in Walton where you were lucky if you could run a pencil down the middle of a two-inch pipe.” Physical plant director Harold Babcock says there is “nothing dangerous as far as the health or safety to people,” but some of the problems are “dangerous as far as costing more money later.” Babcock says most of the construction at the University was done shortly after World War II, making the structures, pipes and wires about 35 years old. He says he “hasn't had the dollars” for a program of replacing things a little at a time. Also, projects for repairs go to the lowest bidder who may not use good materials. The result is “some unreal plumbing problems” and complaints about water-damaged records and equipment in the buildings, he says. Funds for major repairs come from a capital construction budget that is separate from the University's $51.6 million operating budget. About 15 percent of the operating budget goes to support services and maintenance such as janitor's wages, equipment, fuel and utilities. The other 85 percent is for academics. “The buildings are showing it,” Babcock says. The capital construction budget is a list of projects submitted by all the state’s universities and colleges to the State Board of Higher Education. The board ranks the projects in order of importance for funding. Once the Legislature has allocated funds for education operating budgets — usually at the end of the session — it takes the money left and funds projects from the top of the list until the money runs out. Although the board has included capital construction requests for more than 20 projects, University vice Pres. Ray Hawk says "I think the only thing we’ll get money for will be just the minimum level of maintenance.” Number one on the board’s 1981-83 list is $4.8 million for handicapped accessibility at state’s eight colleges. The University’s share would be $1.5 million, most of which would be used for elevators or stair lifts. Number two on the list is $2.4 million for safety deficiences statewide. The University would receive $645,000. Babcock says most of this money would go to patching the roofs first and then to windowcases. He says the University asked for $200,000-300,000 last year and got $80,000. Third on the list is almost $6 million for alterations and new construction on Lawrence Hall for the architecture and allied arts depart ment. Rowe put this request on the "critical list” as far as surviving budget cuts. Following several projects for other cam puses in the state, the list shows alterations to the University Library, for about $5.1 million, as thirteenth. Finally, $3 million for "rehabilitation of campus facilities” — a “ massive catch-all” for University repairs, according to Budget Director Ralph Sunderland — is ranked nineteenth. Hawk says "the governor virtually wiped out" all funding for capital construction this session. "This year it appears that operating budgets are going to exceed expected income so we’ll have further reductions in the operating budget. There's very little likelihood of anything being approved for capital construction,” he says. "There’s a whole bunch of things we asked for, but we don’t expect to get them this time,” Babcock says. "I sure won’t be happy.” Recent draft efforts indicate preparation for war, vet says By TOM VISOKY Of the Emerald Recent efforts to reinstate the draft and streamline registration procedures indicate the United States is rapidly preparing for war, says University Veterans Association director Dave Isen berg. Government efforts to close loopholes for conscientious ob jectors and to cut the time required for a person to register after being notified from 10 to 30 days are designed to “rush people into" the armed forces, Isenberg says. “People aren’t being given any time to think.” Isenberg says the govern ment is trying to entice young men into service by bringing back the G.l Bill. Although he supports the G.l. Bill, Isenberg says he believes it will be revived at the expense of social programs. •'They’ll limit aid for schools and give it to the G.l. Bill,” he predicts. The government also is preparing for war by upgrading the readiness of U S. Armed Forces and by stockpiling weapons at bases overseas, Isenberg says. Recent Amer ican-Omani military training ex ercises in Oman were designed to test tactics that might be used in a Middle East war, he adds. Isenberg says the United States has committed itself to the Carter doctrine of protecting the Persian Gulf. “We're saying it pretty much nakedly. We need the oil.” Isenberg, a former Navy quartermaster, says he gleans information about war prepara tions from newspapers, journals and military publications put out by the defense department “The Department of Defense is a goldmine of information.” Despite this wealth of infor mation, Isenberg says the American public remains largely unaware of Pentagon man euverings. While the military continues to recruit and prepare people to fight the next war, little is being done to help veterans of the last one, Isenberg says. Funding for programs that help Vietnam vet erans with problems resulting from “delayed stress reaction" are being frozen or cut, he says. Vietnam veterans have higher-than-average rates of suicide, divorce and drug abuse, according to Isenberg. “This country treats vets like people drink a Coca-Cola. They drink the bottle and throw it on the junkpile.” Federal budget cuts notwith standing, Isenberg says veter ans still can get help with per sonal problems at local coun seling centers or through the UVA A number of campus veterans disagree with the UVA’s stand on the draft, “but when they need something they come here," Isenberg says. VWs-MERCEDES-BMWs DATSUN-TOYOTA-AUDI Reliable service for your foreign car 342-2912 2025 Franklin Blvd Eugene, Oregon Daily Easter Worship Through April 24 T 12:30 p.m. Koinonia Center Chapel 1414 Kincaid Open to all 12:30 Every Sunday and 4:30 Every Wednesday Holy Eucharist The Rev. Linda Harrell Bruno, Celebrant Holy Saturday Confessions: April 18th 12-2 Easter Sunday Services 12:30 Sponsored by Episcopal Campus Ministry Services GET STUFFED! I wanna stuff you an' yer favorite wid a small Southsider pizza anna pitcher a soft drink er beer fer emCAC* STYLE PIZZA Pace 9 Section A
