IIF can wait

Last week the Arizona Board of Regents approved the UA's reallocation of $1.6 million for the proposed underground facility, which would serve as the academic center for first-year students. That money will be added to the $1.9 million already secured for the IIF in a special account. With $3.5 million set aside for a building that has not been granted final approval, the time has come for the university to reevaluate its priorities.

Rather than throwing millions into a project that is still in the "conceptual" stage, couldn't the university channel this money into existing academic programs that are suffering the effects of semi-annual budget cuts?

When fall semester enrollment dropped by nearly 800 students last year, the UA fell $1.8 million short of its expected income from tuition. Instead of putting the multimillion dollar plans for the IIF on hold, the UA decided make up the difference by cutting funds for academics.

Provost Paul Sypherd urged departments to defer hiring new faculty and staff, curtail state funded travel and consider other cost saving-measures. On top of that, all of the UA's academic departments were forced to cut one percent from their base budgets.

Somehow in the midst of these budgetary woes, the university still found $1.6 million to stash away for IIF.

In January the Committee for External Review of Capital Assets presented a report to the regents criticizing the UA for spending over $600,000 on the proposed IIF.

"This is a substantial amount of money to walk away from if the facility is not built, and puts additional pressure on the regents to approve the project for construction," the report stated.

Now, with $3.5 million sitting in an account for the IIF, the UA has turned up the pressure and is pushing for progress at an alarming rate.

Last week the university announced plans to bring the IIF project before the regents in August for final approval. With President Manuel Pacheco on his way out, and a successor yet to be named, it seems inappropriate to hurry along such an expensive decision.

As Student Regent Jonathan Schmitt said, "It is ridiculous to think you are going to fast track a decision like this before the new administration comes in."

Schmitt is right. A final decision on IIF should not be made until the new president is selected and has had time to review the situation. It is only fair to grant the new administration some input on a matter that will consume millions of dollars in university funds over the next few years.

More importantly though, the UA should stop setting aside money for IIF while academic programs are suffering in the meantime.

By
Arizona Summer Wildcat
July 2, 1997