NEWS IN BRIEF : UA trustees notebook
Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006
UA plans new field for women’s softball The University of Arkansas System trustees on Thursday unanimously approved a plan by the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville to build a new Lady Razorbacks softball field north of the women’s soccer field.
UA-Fayetteville plans to tear down a portion of the Carlson Terrace Apartments, which housed married students, to make way for the field, officials said.
UA-Fayetteville Chancellor John A. White said a new Lady’Back Yard is needed to bring the campus’ athletics into compliance with Title IX. The federal law requires federally funded education programs to offer sports facilities of equal quality for men and women. A school risks losing its federal funding if the Office of Civil Rights finds it in violation of Title IX.
“The fact we have arguably the best baseball facility in the country and we have arguably the poorest softball facility in the conference creates a stark contrast,” White said.
Bev Lewis, UA-Fayetteville director of women’s athletics, said the school’s existing softball field has its dugouts in the outfield and lacks locker rooms. During games, players must use the same bathrooms as spectators.
The university doesn’t plan to take money from men’s athletics for the new facility, White and Lewis said.
Lewis said she expects the facility to cost about $ 6 million, which she hopes to fund through private donations. The university already has selected the architectural firm — Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf of Indianapolis, Ind. — to develop plans for the field.
Lewis plans to have raised at least $ 2. 5 million by the time of the groundbreaking for the facility, which she hopes will be in May. Bond issue gets OK for UAFS housing The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith received the UA System trustees’ unanimous permission for its intent to issue $ 6. 1 million in bonds to fund the construction of a 180-bed apartment complex for students.
The university, which has an enrollment of 6, 752, plans to use the money to construct Sebastian Commons Phase II, which would have 110 apartment units.
The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved the economic feasibility of the bonds at its meeting Aug. 4.
The Fort Smith campus plans to present a final authorizing resolution to the trustees at their meeting scheduled for Nov. 10.
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