Observatory expansion, budget approval on regents' plate

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Regent Judy Gignac

The University of Arizona is seeking initial approval from the regents at their meeting today and tomorrow in Flagstaff to add a floor onto the observatory. The $1.6 million project could add 8,000 square feet to its north wing.

Joel Valdez, UA senior vice president for business affairs, said the expansion will create more research opportunities for students.

"It will enhance the educational opportunity because it will add research space," he said.

The expansion of the building at 933 N. Cherry Ave. will be paid with lease payments of about $134,000 annually from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

The radio observatory, a research entity funded by the National Science Foundation, leases 7,100 square feet in Steward. The additional floor would serve as research space for the development of a high-resolution telescope.

According to a UA report to the regents, the additional research space would create a "modest" increase in opportunities to astronomy undergraduates and help recruit faculty and graduate students.

Regent Jack Jewett said yesterday that the board most likely will approve the expansion.

"I have not heard any strong objectives to that, or any other UA project," he said.

The UA will also seek approval Friday for the fiscal 2000-2001 budget - the first biannual budget.

Dick Roberts, UA chief budget officer, said a two-year budget is more effective for strategic planning than the one-year counterpart used in previous years.

He said the extended budgeting period would give the university more leeway in hiring faculty.

"Hiring people for a new program and only having five months is problematic," Roberts said. "It is fairly easy to get staff or operational equipment, but you don't just go down to the grocery store and pick up a six pack of faculty."

After the UA submitted a preliminary two-year budget to the regents in August, it made changes in line with the board's suggestions.

Roberts said other than changes requested by the board, the only difference between the preliminary copy and the budget that will be submitted Friday is the use of current enrollment data.

The state allocates additional funding for faculty and staff if student enrollment increases from the previous year. For every additional 22 students the school enrolls, the state will support more staff and faculty.

Roberts said in order to request the money, the school must use actual data that was not available until mid-September.

He said the UA still uses a one-year budget internally, but is working toward a change.

"We will do a project to see if it makes sense to do two-year allocations internally to help build certainty," he said. "I want to put us in a position where we get stability at the state level and pass the stability down.

"We have established an annual culture and now we must adapt it to a two-year focus," he added.

Jewett said the budgets should go through, but may require modification.

"I think there will be lively discussion on the system budget and the others," he said. "There will be issues."

Anthony C. Braza can be reached via e-mail at Anthony.C.Braza@wildcat.arizona.edu.