Grand Valley State University ScholarWorks@GVSU Volume 43, July 10, 2008 - June 7, 2009 Lanthorn, 1968-2001 8-25-2008 Lanthorn, vol. 43, no. 03, August 25, 2008 Grand Valley State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/lanthorn_vol43 Part of the Archival Science Commons, Education Commons, and the History Commons Recommended Citation Grand Valley State University, "Lanthorn, vol. 43, no. 03, August 25, 2008" (2008). Volume 43, July 10, 2008 - June 7, 2009. 3. https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/lanthorn_vol43/3 This Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Lanthorn, 1968-2001 at ScholarWorks@GVSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Volume 43, July 10, 2008 - June 7, 2009 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@GVSU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Rothbury photo page, A8 Recap on summer ^ happenings, A4 Gearing up for fall football, B1 amii mllep Urnttfom Grand Valley State University www.lanthorn.com Monday, August 25, 2008 GVSU Lakers claim new Turf New intramural sports complex on campus complete, open for school year By Brian Beaupied facilities, said Athletic and Recreation "Our spring sports teams will greatly GVl. Sports F.ditor Facilities Manager Brad Wallace. benefit during the winter months in "With an increase in programming over preparation for their seasons, ” Selgo said. Grand Valley State University’ s mission the past couple of years, there arose a need “Our fall sports teams will also benefit is to shape its students, and President for additional space, ” he added. “This year as their seasons will hopefully end in Thomas J. Haas understands being in shape our programming has already doubled, in November and December with NCAA is an important part of a balanced college part due to this building." postseason play.” experience. GVSU senior and business major Selgo added having a facility that serves On Thursday, 17 months and $I8 Andrew Pack and his friends enjoyed both students and athletes is a great addition million after breaking ground, Haas and tossing a ftxitball around on the Turf to the campus. 800 guests opened the much-anticipated, Building's first day open. “Unlike most buildings of this kind on 138j000-square-foot, multi-purpose "It’s awesome, ” Pack said. “Now we many campuses, this facility w ill be used by l-aker Turf Building. The facility contains have an indoor place where we can go all students and not just the athletics teams classroom space for the movement science when the weather is crappy out. ” — as is the case with all of our athletic and department, additional practice space for Pack said using the building has made recreational facilities, ” he said. "It will be a GVSU Athletics and will become the new him more interested in starting his own great space to enhance campus life." home for some club and intramural sports. intramural sports team and helps him sports@lanthorn rant “Fitness and wellness is part of being swallow the tuition increase. GVL / Lindsey Waggoner See more: Visit www. Open: The new Laker Turf Building is ready for use after construction throughout the 2007-08 school a well-rounded individual and this will “Just being in here makes me want to year. The new arena is located west of the Fieldhouse provide us some of those tcx)ls to see (participate in intramurals) ” he said. “This lanthorn.com for a slideshow that through, ” Haas said. “We needed to makes the tuition increase not kx)k so ® maintain the quality for the students and bad" the services they expect from us. ” In addition to its contributions to the The building features a l(X)-yard student fxxly. the turf building is the synthetic turf field that will allow students culmination of several campus-wide to participate in seasonal sports — like construction projects with an emphasis on football and soccer — year round. A six- sustainability. lane, 300-meter indrxrr track surrounds the “Some of the things people might not field while batting cages for the baseball know when they walk in here are all the and softball teams can be lowered from the measures being taken to ensure this building rafters to field level. There is also space for is environmentally friendly, ” Wallace said. student locker and shower areas, as well as Among the features are geothermal heat a capacity for more than I j(XX) spectators. pumps, a photovoltaic nx)f, a rain garden The new features should help and solar wall. Wallace said the schtxil accomrTKxlate the recent surge in hopes to receive an award for meeting participation of intramural and club sports. leadership in Energy and Environmental During the last five years, intramural sports Design (LEED) specifications. have increased 48 percent and club sports The building will also prove to benefit 69 percent. intercollegiate athletics, namely those That kind of growth led to the student taking place in the late fall and early spring, body outgrowing the campus' existing said GVSU Athletic Director Tim Selgo. The Laker Turf Building's synthetic field is into electricity to power the building. not the only thing green about Grand Valley Rain garden — A 9,000-square-feet State University's latest construction project rain garden will provide storm water Here are some other measures taken to management and reduce erosion. A storm reduce the building's carbon footprint: water retention pond will be used to collect excess water to help irrigate adjacent athletic Geothermal heat pump — 39 geothermal fields. wells pump water 275 feet into the ground Solar wall — The building's south wall to heat or cool water for the building. features 3,000 square feet of solar panelling Photovoltaic roof — 20 kilowatt for additional heating. GVl / Lindsey Waggoner photovoltaic panels will convert solar power Tours: The GVSU Laker Turf Building opened on Thursday evening, offering tours to show off the new facility The arena is open throughout the year for various club and intramural sports, varsity athletics and general student use. “I think it is going to be an ongoing initiative, ” SpiK’lman said. “But we ’ve got Board of Trustees approves Full-time employees a tremendous amount of support.” There are two primary reasons GVSU initiated the benefits package. Richardson record tuition increase said. First, it keeps GVSU consistent with By Danielle Arndt director of Budgets and Financial see benefits for live-ins its mission and values to include a diverse Analysis. However. GVSU takes the GVL Managing L'ditor group of people on campus. Second, it gold medal for the highest in-state keeps GVSU competitive with other By Becky Beard In 2(XX). GVSU proposed a benefits At Grand Valley State University, tuition increase for 2008-09. schools that offer similar benefits plans. GVl. Senior Reporter plan that would extend benefits to same-sex success comes with a price. Prior to the jump, Musser added “It's only a recruitment advantage. ” couples, but that effort was pulled and is This fall, that price is $8,196 for GVSU was the 13th most expensive Richardson said. “It dtx;sn’t have to Grand Valley State University will illegal undercurrent state law.The recently incoming freshman — a 13 percent university in Michigan. It now sits impact people who aren't interested (in the now join other Michigan universities in approved plan is not simply the same thing increase from last year ’s tuition and in the middle as the eighth most benefits). ” extending health benefits to live-ins of full ­ with a different name. Richardson said. the greatest jump in the history of expensive college education. Central Michigan University. Michigan time employees. “It's a lot different, ” he said. “This time, the school. The Board’s decision to raise State University and the University of The Board of Trustees voted 7- 1 at its (staff) can enroll a household member — After receiving only a I percent tuition was based upon a commitment Michigan are among the 12 other public latest meeting to launch a three-year pilot which doesn't have to do with gender or increase in state to maintaining universities in Michigan that offer similar “We feel we have plan that allocates marriage. ” funding for the quality. plans. about $I8()J[XX) However, the plan has received some 2008-09 academic also been successful “We are right GVSU chemistry major Josh Ockerse, per year for health backlash, with some suggesting it is year.GVSU ’s Board on the brink of 18. said he does not see anything wrong in creating sufficient insurance benefits of an unlawful form of same-sex partner of Trustees made becoming an with offering the benefits, but believes the “household members ” benefits. the decision to raise scholarship, loan and outstanding, small 18-month time peruxl is not long enough. of employees. To State Rep. Arlan Meekhof, R-Olive tuition rather than work opportunities university. ” Taylor He added he disagrees with Agema's qualify, beneficiaries Township. has requested Michigan cut back on quality. said. plan to cut state funding because there will to make a quality must have lived in the Attorney General Mike Cox review the “We ’re playing Thus. rather always be dissenters when additions are employee ’s home for at plan.State Rep. Dave Agema. R-Grandville, catch-up really. ” education still than cutting made to a budget, but this was a choice least 18 months but is has proposed sch<x>ls offering household said University back on faculty made by the Board of Trustees. possible. ” not a tenant . boarder or Richardson member benefits lose 5 percent of their Chairwoman pay. university “I'm not allowed to allocate where my already a dependent of state funding.