By
Hillary Davis
Arizona Daily Wildcat
New UA head football coach John Mackovic may get his $800,000 salary approved, and Proposition 301 funds will definitely not be allocated at this month's Arizona Board of Regents meeting in Tempe.
Although no motions will be passed at today's first day of the two-day proceedings, the regents will discuss the possible dispersion of Proposition 301 funds - the revenue from a 0.6 percent sales tax increase benefiting education passed by voters in November - at a study session.
Regent Kay McKay said the session about how to distribute the state universities' $459 million from Proposition 301 funds is just for brainstorming, and is not expected to have a concrete outcome.
"At this point in time it's discussion, and not about (actual allocation of) Prop. 301 funds," she said. "It has to be approved by the Board to even go on."
Tomorrow, the regents will decide on Mackovic's proposed multiyear contract. Mackovic, 57, was offered a five-year deal at $800,000 per year. Former coach Dick Tomey made $510,000 last season.
The regents will also discuss the future of the online Arizona Regents University - which has been allotted $2 million from the Proposition 301 revenues - today. The regents will review the findings of a recently-completed "stakeholder survey" before proceeding with the university's development.
McKay said the Board contracted a Colorado consulting firm to investigate how beneficial the regents university would be to the state by talking with business and university leaders and others about the market for distance learning.
"It's a preliminary list of advice from constituents through the state," McKay said.
Updates on a wide range of construction and expansion projects also fill the UA's portion of the Board's agenda.
Six requests for conceptual approval of University of Arizona construction and expansion projects will come up during tomorrow's resources committee session.
The projects, which include the addition of a performance hall adjacent to the Ina E. Gittings building and the construction of a 700-bed residence hall in the area of East Sixth Street and North Highland Ave., are in varying planning stages and still a long way from completion, McKay said.
"They aren't going to break the ground next week, that's for sure," she said.
In addition to the Gittings add-on and the future dorm, the university is looking to erect a parking and administration facility on East Sixth Street, a learning services building that will house faculty and support staff, and the Highland Commons complex, which will bring together campus and disability health and disability resource services.
Also in the works is the refurbishing of the Arizona Health Sciences Center, Central Animal Facility and the Life Sciences South building.
These projects have been in the planning stages since May 1998.
Board committees will also consider an authorization request for a lease purchase agreement to convert KUAT television facilities from analog to digital, review expansion plans for UA's Research Park and name new Regents' Professors.
Besides Mackovic, who replaced Dick Tomey in December, ABOR may approve the $750,000 salary of new ASU football coach Dirk Koetter.
