2005-04-19_thebuchte..

Independent voice of the University of Akron since 1889
TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2005
AKRON, OHIO
Student Union fire
VOLUME 123, ISSUE 16
What lies beneath
An equipment malfunction in the Student
Union caused two fan
belts in a heating and
cooling ventilation
device to catch fire
Monday. The small fire,
which took place at
1:45 p.m., generated a
lot of smoke and set off
smoke detectors. The
building was evacuated
and closed for about 45
minutes. No one was
injured.
New editor
The Buchtelite chose
next year’s editor in
chief Friday. Managing
editor Dan Kadar will
take over the newspaper in mid-May.
Fall schedule
The fall 2005 class
schedule is now available for viewing online
via Zipmail.
Registration begins
April 1 at 6 p.m.
Fill it out
Applications are now
available online for
executive board member positions of the Zips
Programming Network
at www.uakron.edu/studentlife/zpn/index.php.
Hang with Proenza
Enter the Zips
Programming Network
essay contest for a
chance to shadow
President Luis Proenza
for a day. Pick up your
information packet at
the front desk of the
SOuRCE on the first
floor of the Student
Union.
Get the works
Black United
Students encourage
women on campus to
get pampered with
manicures, pedicures
and facials. Spa Day
will also feature entertainment. The event is
tonight from 7 to 10 in
Student Union
Ballrooms C and D. The
cost is $2.
MARTIN CIZMAR/THE BUCHTELITE
This entrance to the tunnel system is in the basement of the Physical Facilities building next to E.J.Thomas Hall.The tunnels connect 13 buildings
There really are tunnels connecting buildings on UA’s campus
By Hanan Hindi and Martin Cizmar
THE BUCHTELITE
eard the rumor about
the tunnel President
Luis Proenza uses to
get from his parking
spot to Buchtel Hall on rainy
days?
It’s a myth. Well, mostly.
While there is a vast tunneling system connecting most
buildings on the University of
Akron campus, it isn’t used by
umbrella-less administrators.
“It is not a way to get from A
to B,” said Joseph Gregor, the
director of physical facilities.
“The tunnels are a very secured
H
area and a very dangerous dents believe. Senior civil engiplace.”
neering major Leah Baughn is
The tunnels are used for util- one student who had the wrong
ities. The university’s electrici- idea.
ty, water, cooling system and
“People have talked about
heating system run through the them before,” she said. “I know
tunnels.
that they were supposed to be
“Energy is the heart of
used in case of an
the university, and the
attack, for shelter.”
tunnels are the arteries
Like a lot of stuand veins,” Gregor said.
dents, Baughn said
“Millions of dollars would
she was curious about
be lost if the heating systhe tunnels and would
tem was down.”
like to see
This means the This is the second part of a them.
series unlocking UA’s
tunnels don’t serve
She probamyths and secrets.
as emergency escape
bly won’t get
routes, as many stu- After break: Buchtel Hall the
chance.
UA officials are very secretive
about the tunnels for security
reasons.
UA officials denied the
Buchtelite’s request for a map of
the tunneling system. Maps of
the tunnels are now off-limits
because of amendments made
to Ohio’s public records laws
after 9/11.
The Buchtelite’s request to
walk through the tunnels was
also denied for safety reasons,
although a Buchtelite reporter
and photographer were allowed
to see one entrance to the tunneling system located in the
See TUNNEL, Page A4
Buy food
The advanced metalsmithing students will
hold a bake sale tomorrow in the Folk Hall
atrium from 8 a.m. to 2
p.m.
Wings for reading
Eat at Buffalo Wild
Wings on East
Exchange Street tomorrow from 6-10 p.m. to
help Jumpstart Akron
raise money for childhood literacy.
Have an event that should be
included in the Buchtelite’s news
briefs? E-mail Rachel Lyzen:
briefs@buchtelite.com
Campus remembers Daum
By Lori Brandt
THE BUCHTELITE
The dimly-lit auditorium of
the Daum Theatre in Kolbe
Hall fit the mood of all attending the memorial for Paul A.
Daum March 18.
Daum, who was the longestserving active member of the
University of Akron faculty,
passed away suddenly March 4
after a short illness. The theater arts professor had been on
staff at the university since
1964.
Friends, colleagues and students came to pay tribute to a
man everyone considered a
friend.
While four theater arts students listened to UA School of
Music professor Stephen Aron
softly play the guitar on stage
before the memorial began,
they spoke fondly of their
favorite professor.
“He was always there for
me,” junior Erin Tedrick said.
“I can’t believe he is gone. I
really miss him.”
Senior Lane Smerglia is
earning a minor in theater history. She said after taking one
of Daum’s theater history classes, she immediately knew what
she wanted to do in her graduate studies.
“He would sit and talk for an
See DAUM, Page A4
Parking lot to close
By Mike Hixenbaugh
THE BUCHTELITE
On March 28, Parking
Lot
70
near
the
Buckingham Center will be
closed permanently to make
way for a gas turbine testing facility.
With the closure of the
gravel lot located on Wolf
Ledges the university will
lose 80-85 spaces. As a
result, surrounding lots will
become all-permit areas.
Director of parking serv-
INSIDE
opinion
sports
crossword
arts&life
classifieds
A3
B1
B2
B3
B3, B4
By Kristin Snowberger
THE BUCHTELITE
Paul Daum
A parking lot
near the
Buckingham
Center will
close March
28.The lot,
located on the
corner of
Carroll and
Wolf Ledges,
served as
alternate
parking for
law and art
students and
will be
replaced by a
gas turbine
testing facility
University to lose 80 spots as result
ices Jim Stafford said there fault.
would be one row of parking
“It wasn’t my idea,” he
meters unaffected.
said. “It’s never my idea to
“With the Buckingham lose parking spaces.”
Center and Folk Hall in the
Students who normally
area, it’s important that we park in Lot 70 can park in
have some spaces available nearby Lots 34, 43 or 47.
for visitors,” Stafford said.
Vice President of Capital
“We may get some of those Planning and Facilities
spaces back after construc- Management Ted Curtis
tion but right now we don’t was unavailable for comknow.”
ment on the construction of
Before everybody casts the testing facility.
blame on him, Stafford E-mail deputy sports editor
wants people to understand Mike Hixenbaugh:
the loss of spaces isn’t his hixenbaugh@buchtelite.com
UA faculty
reaches out
to students
EMILY MILLER/
THE BUCHTELITE
Brazilian baller
The beast within
Cavaliers rookie forward
Anderson Varejao talks about
his American experience in an
exclusive Buchtelite interview.
Page B1
Get the skinny on the “Man +
Beast” show debuting at the
Emily Davis Gallery just after
spring break.
Page B3
The most exciting aspect of
the Board of Trustees meeting
March 16 was not taking place
behind closed doors. It was
taking place in and around the
Student Union, as professors
spread out to spread the word.
Anyone who passed through
around lunchtime probably
came across one of over two
dozen members of the Akron
chapter of the American
Association of University
Professors.
They
carried
leaflets that implored students to demand answers from
the university’s legislative
body.
The faculty have been in
contract negotiations for the
past 17 months. Since a federal mediator was appointed in
the fall, the parties have tentatively agreed upon eight
more articles, raising the total
to 13.
According to psychology
professor and union vice president Jan Yoder, significant
issues like academic freedom,
See AAUP, Page A2
web talk
Should the government
have a role in
deciding the fate of
Terri Schiavo?
www.buchtelite.com