By Rachel Reinhardt and Julie Burkhart
Arizona Daily Wildcat
October 21, 1997

Likins owes students a clear statement on building projects

Editor:

"I want to reach out to students and make sure they understand that I want to hear their concerns." -President Peter Likins, October 13, 1997, concerning the Mount Graham telescope project.

"As far as IIF, that train has already left the building." -President Likins, October 6, 1997, concerning the Integrated Instructional Facility.

These are two different statements made by President Likins within one week of each other. Our question for the president is: what's his real position? Why is the president willing to negotiate with students about the Mount Graham telescopes, a project that is more than 2/3 complete, but reluctant to consider hearing students' concerns about the Integrated Instructional Facility, a project that is still in the planning stages?

We would like President Likins to begin his administration with a clear position on building projects. He should either give his unconditional support to projects already in the works, like the IFF building, or he should re-evaluate each project on a case by case basis, as he plans to do with the Mount Graham laboratory. Allowing certain special interest groups more sway over university policy than others violates what President Likins stated as one of his goals- namely, to hear the concerns of each student. We trust that this oversight by President Likins was a momentary lapse in what has otherwise been a successful beginning here at the University of Arizona. We hope that in the future, the president will establish a clear policy regarding building projects.

Rachel Reinhardt
Religious studies junior

Julie Burkhart
Political science/ philosophy junior