The Hurricanes Need Your Support. Help Send The Canes To Atlanta For The Peach Bowl By Packing The Orange Bowl Tomorrow , eo^DTo **> +* — In SPORTS pages 10-14 THE MIA Ul\l\l Volume 57, No. M g_> Friday. November 21, 1980 Phone 284-4401 Trustees Approve Stadium Study By CHARLES LAVIN .\cw.s Writer '"There's a lot of valuable real estate out there." he said. Another factor that bothers him is the "carnival atmo­ The Board of Trustees lasl Tuesday authorized an sphere" which he feels is associated with a football sta­ environmental impact study to determine the feasiblity dium. of building an on-campus stadium. Zaller also expressed concern about the proximity of However, some faculty members and residents of the stadium to the dormitories, and about the reaction Coral Gables remain opposed to the 18-month-old pro­ of Coral Gables residents. "I don't think the people (res­ posal to build the 4 2.000-seat facility. idents of Coral Gables] would like it." he said. Head Football Coach Howard Schnellenberger had Zaller believes that the best path for UM to take is requested that the board approve the concept in princi­ to improve the quality of students, teachers, and facili­ ple, and that it authorize the feasiblity study. ties. "We are just being recognized as a serious school," Billy Proulx. administrative assistant to Schnellen­ he said, noting that the University should work on im­ berger, called the board's decision "the most significant proving that image. break regarding the campus stadium." Proulx said con­ Dr. Steve Green, professor of biology, agrees with struction of an on-campus stadium is the most serious Zaller. Green objects to "the use of our limited re­ issue facing the UM athletics department. sources for other than academic purposes." Survival of "There are administrators on campus who truly be­ the University depends on pursuing academic excel­ lieve that without athletics the University would be lence, he said. Green believes UM can put the money to doomed," Proulx said. "The key to athletics at UM is a more effective use, in areas other than athletics. successful, solvent, and profitable football program. As "If this were a university of significant means, then Coach Schnellenberger has stated, it is critical to the the money could be spent on the athletic department," football program to have a local, on-campus facility, for Green said. Building a stadium now, he said, would be athletics to meet these goals." "a step in the wrong direction." "The people for the project are |generally | profes­ Some faculty members, including Dr. Richard ear­ sionals in the area of college athletics who have spent ner, director of the Reading Clinic, support the idea of one thousand man-hours of work investigating |the building a stadium. "Almost every major university feasiblity of the project|," said Proulx "Those op­ does have a stadium of one kind or another." he said. He posed," he said, "have not had the time or experience to believes that the stadium would be a center of focus for delve into the ramifications of a successful athletic pro­ the University and would create an atmosphere on cam­ gram." pus which is lacking. "It |an on-campus stadium| may Some faculty members believe constructing a stadi­ be a way to combat apathy on campus." Carner said. um would hinder the growth of academic programs. Many homeowners living near the Hecht Center ex­ Local residents fear an increase in traffic and noise. But pressed oppostion to the project. athletic department officials and some students argue "We have enough problems with people going to that an on-campus stadium would help the University ROTC |Reserve Officer Training Corps| events and and the ailing school spirit parking on the side streets," complained one neighbor. According to Schnellenberger. a stadium had been Another resident was also opposed to the proposed sat- scheduled to be built on campus in 1926. The project dium. "but not strongly . only because of the cars." was abandoned, however, after a major hurricane "I don't want to take all that goes on with ball struck Miami in 1927. he said. games," said another resident. "I went to UM. 1 should Schnellenberger said the present proposal suggests a know." 42,000-seat steel and aluminum stadium costing approx­ Schnellenberger strongly believes in the project. imately $4.8 million. Originally, the proposed site for "UM needs its own stadium for a lot of reasons," he Made. Ol Thr I»IO,M»S,.,| <>,i-<:aiii|»i.s SiiHli,,,,, the stadium was the land that is now the practice field stated. "It would serve to develop a school pride, tradi­ for the football team. This field is located behind the tion, and spirit on campus. ...«« mnitommiatml iminut smdy „,// ,i,-,,., „,;,,,.,,., frnitftifitr Hecht Athletic Center. "Thousands of alumni would come back to campus The entrance to the stadium, which would stand di­ each year, visiting fraternities and sororities, the book­ rectly behind Mark Light Kield. would be on San Amaro store, the library," he said. Schnellenberger observed Drive. However, the possibility of building the stadium that having the football games at the Orange Bowl on the other side of the field, adjacent to Ponce de Leon offers no incentive for alumni to visit the campus. Robert Hall Tells Blacks Boulevard. IK now being _tudie<_ Schnellenberger said the on-campus stadium would The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees help to increase attendance. The Hurricanes have been stated on Sept. 11. 1979 that "based on certain assump­ consistently unable to draw a capacity crowd at the 76.- tions, operating a stadium on the campus would pro­ 000-seat Orange Bowl. The on-campus stadium, with duce financial benefits." less seats, would create a higher demand for tickets. To 'Take Mental Approach' The project has been endorsed by many organiza­ Schnellenberger said. tions, including the Undergraduate Student Body Gov­ Citing a survey conducted by the athletic depart­ ernment (USBG) cabinet, the Coral Gables and South ment, Schnellenberger explained that the location of the By MARTHA MARTIN Dade Chambers of Commerce, the UM Alumni Associa­ stadium would make it more convenient for fans to at­ Hew* Writer tion, and the St. Louis Cardinals football team. tend the games. According to the survey, 76 percent of "If we had a stadium, we would already be locked UM students, instructors, and alumni live in South Robert Halt, talk show host for in a bowl." Proulx asserted. The Hurricanes are being Dade. radio station WMBM. spoke before considered for a bid to the Peach Bowl in Georgia. Schnellenberger stated that the construction of the a group of black students Wednes­ Proulx estimated that the UM athletic program would stadium would lead to financial self-sufficiency for the day night in the Ibis cafeteria. His receive between $300,000 and $400,000 if the Hurri­ department. "The only way for the athletic program to talk commemorated the tenth anni­ canes were invited to the Peach Bowl. survive is for us to have a stadium." he said. He argued versary of the founding of UM's that the department would eventually be able to put chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fra­ Proulx argued that a strong football program would ternity. attract attention to UM academic programs, and thus in­ money back into the University fund. Schnellenberger said that po.ssi.ble problems associ­ Hall's topic for the evening was fluence a prospective student's decision to attend UM. the awareness blacks should have Some faculty members, however, view the proposal ated with the stadium can be overcome. He estimated that the stadium would require 8,500 parking spaces, of "myths" which have been ex­ with skepticism. "The Board of Trustees mandated that ploited through time concerning every division in the University pay its own direct and asserted that there is adequate parking space on campus. The fact that games are played on weekends whites and blacks. costs," said Dr. Robert Zaller, professor of history. He believes that Jesus was black. "This has generally been followed. The athletic depart­ means that no computer students would be on campus when parking spaces are needed, he said. "Jesus did nol have blonde hair and ment, however, is the great exception," he said. blue eyes." Hall said, "he wa.s Zaller maintains that the athletic department, with Students seem to like the idea. black. Genesis describes him as its budget deficit, would have to rely on University "It will be great for the school spirit," one student having hair of wool. Jesus said he funds to finance the stadium "I am not against athlet­ responded. was the son of David David was ics," Zaller said, "but when the money is coming out of "We need it." commented another. the son Solomon, and Solomon was the hide of athletics, the priorities should be reversed." "It'll beat having to drive all the way down |to the black." He said he would like to see an athletic program "scaled Orange Bowl|," said a third student. He said that many greal inven­ and relevant to the University." But not every student was so happy about the idea. tions that have always been credit­ "The noise in the dorms will be unbearable," com­ ln addition to the financial considerations, Zaller is ed to whites are really the creations I il Ilv Sho»» Mosl Refer. worried about the effects of the stadium on the campus. plained one student. "It's bad enough already." of black men I'he automobile, elec­ Hall tricity, the dictionary, and the ele­ .