UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
TUESDAY
JANUARY 26, 1999
WEATHER Five-day forecast 2
FEBRUARY Black History Month 8
SCHOLARSHIPS Deadline approaching 5
GARBAGE MTV delivers 14
CONFLICTS? Help is here 6
PARKING is it theft? 15
Parking angst results from dorm project
The Student Voice Since 1903
By Jarrod Briley Staffitifriter
T
he 16,000 UCO students, faculty and staff that were issued parking permits this year will have increased difficulty finding a place to park now that two lots and several hundred spaces have been permanently closed. The parking lots located north of Max Chambers Library and west of Hamilton Field House are being demolished so that construction can begin on the University Commons residential apartments—a new UCO student-housing complex. Of the approximately 5,700 total parking spaces, 4,300 are available for use by students. "We're going to lose about 300 parking spaces, but, compared to the total number of spaces available, that - Staff photo by Negeen Sobhani really isn't that much," said an official, who chose not to be identified. UCO students are having more trouble finding parking spaces due to the closing of two parking lots on "Parking will certainly be a problem. Students just the northwest corner of campus.
V See PARKING, Page 2
Renovations run rampant on campus By Trent Dugas Stalfigriter
W
- Staff photo by Shauna Hardway
True Tallent.. T. J. Tallent, sophomore, won two matches and ensured UCO a fourth-place spot in last weekend's NCAA Division ll Showdown Duals.
See story on page 12.
ith new buildings, new roofs, new landscape and illuminating the clock at Old North, Lennis Pedderson, director of Facilities Management, has construction crews and contractors at full tilt. According to Pedderson, during the span of about a year, over $3 million has gone into campus construction. Some of the completed or current projects include elevators in the Communications Building and Liberal Arts Building, and exterior door replacements at Hamilton Fieldhouse and the library. Pedderson said all the construction is going well and his crews have finished some important projects over the break. "Winn Construction stopped the new roof from leaking at the
University Plaza deck. And accolades to them because they came back in a timely manner and fixed it for free." We have some strong goals to make the campus beautiful," Pedderson said. He also said the weather has not hampered their construction at all. He said they have been lucky; the weather has cooperated with their schedule. Another completed project was the playground renovation and trike path for the Child Study Center at the Human Enviromental Sciences Building. "You don't always get a project like this one—the type of project that you can leave your signature on and is fun," Pedderson said. "We seemed to have the right mental momentum." Pedderson also said Connie Gall, landscape maintanance supervisor, and Susan McCauley, coordinator
at the Child Study Center, were very instrumental in completing the project. McCauley said everyone is pleased with how the playground turned out. "All new climbing structures were installed along with a cemented path for the children to ride their trikes," she said. According to McCauley, the renovations cost the college over $35,000, with partial university involvement, donations and fund raisers. She said the project's justification was safety. "It is a capital improvement that is going to last," McCauley said. "We justified our need because the old equipment was not safe for the children. Also, I think it will be a model for other people to build from."
V See RENOVATION, Page 2
