Don North: Doing almost anything for a story THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1989 JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY VOL. 66 NO. 36 Sidestepping JMU wants to buy property in London space, library facilities and a student By Wendy Warren staff writer union. It also is close to the theatre district. JMU might buy its first overseas Cohen said he is hopeful JMU will property to house students in as be able to buy the property before its Studies Abroad program. owner, British Maj. Dick Richards, Dr. Linwood Rose, JMU's vice retires and sells the hotel. president of administration and finance, JMU has enjoyed a good relationship said the university is seeking to buy with Richards, Cohen said. "He is a London living space as a cost-cutting very dear friend of the program. He measure. remembers the student's names . and Renting hotel space for the students every year Christmas cards fly back and cost about $130,000 last year, Rose forth between him and [alumni| of the said. JMU is prepared to spend about program." $600,000 to SI million for a property. Students who have participated in the JMU would use funds from its program often return to stay in Arran auxiliary reserve budget to buy a hotel House Hotel with Richards and his or other building. Rose said. The wife, Cohen added. reserve budget contains money left over The hotel, actually two buildings, from the university's general operating was built in 1789. Like many other old funds. properties in London, it is a leasehold. The idea came up about three years The property's title is held by royalty. ago, said Dr. Ralph Cohen, director of JMU would not buy the actual hotel, JMU's studies abroad program. JMU but would purchase the right to operate began actively looking for property it for a short time. about a year ago. Rose said the purchase should not increase students' costs for participating in the program. JMU is looking for a property that could house 30 to 50 students. Rose Staff photo by LAWRENCE JACKSON said. It also must have a kitchen, proper A silhouette crosses Harrison and Jackson Hall's walkway. zoning and be able to meet building codes. ; Rose said JMU also is looking at With the help of a lawyer and a real freeholds, which arc purchased outright. estate appraiser, JMU has found at least If the Arran House Hotel were a Carrier gets free use seven properties it is considering in freehold, it would cost millions of addition to the Arran House Hotel, dollars because it occupies a prime which has housed JMU students since location in the city, he said. of$400,000 house the Semester in London program began Thirty students participate in the in 1979. Semester in London program each value of the home is $414,000. The proposal to buy property must be semester, Cohen said. The students By Heather Dawson news editor According to June Hosaflook, a real passed by the Board of Visitors, the must apply lo be in the program, and estate appraiser for the city, JMU's state Attorney General's office, the arc selected primarily on the basis of As president of JMU, Ronald Carrier Board of Visitors is listed as the home's Virginia Department of Engineering and their GPA. receives a wide range of fringe benefits owners. The board paid $2,385 in taxes Buildings, the state Planning and The program only accepts in addition to his salary and retirement on the property in 1987-88. Development office and the Governor's sophomores, juniors and first semester compensation — foremost, free use of a Office. seniors. house worth about $414,000. idential According to Steve Knickrchm, The Semester in London program is Oakview and surrounding property, JMU's director of facilities planning, the oldest Studies Abroad program, which has been designated the official {last In a aeries) 3) the Arran House Hotel would cost Cohen said. The program also receives residence of JMU presidents since 1978, In a Breeze interview last semester. about 400,000 pounds, or $700,000. more applications than any other has a combined total value of $331,200 Carrier said he has the use of a The hotel's location is part of its program. according to a 1986 assessment. university-owned Chevrolet Caprice, attraction, Cohen said. The hotel is near The students in the program take Nancy Lawson, a local real estate the University of London which JMU classes in University of London clerk estimated the current market See CARRIER pege 2 > supplies the program with classroom classrooms. Page 2, The Breeze Thursday, February 9, 1989 Carrier >■ (Continued from page 1) "The maid is there every day," he renovations," Carrier said. Built in the officials," Hilton said. "Any night of said. Groundskccping is provided when 1950s, Oakvicw was "a strange sort of the week the SGA leaders or the which he uses when traveling on "suite needed, "like when the leaves need house" with many additions. Since residence hall staffs" could be attending or university business." The slate cither raking." then, repairs and renovations have a university function there. pays Carrier or reimburses him for ranged from rebuilding the back deck to Other public state universities require job-related travel expenses. The JMU Foundation, a private support group, owns most of the repairing the plumbing. similar living arrangements for their Also, a chauffeur drives him "when "heavily used public things" inside Two years ago, a catering kitchen was presidents. I'm going to Richmond and I have to Oakview, Carrier said. The foundation added to make entertaining large groups For example, at the University of work" on the way there, Carrier said. provided the couch in the living rocm, easier, he said. Virginia, President Robert O'Ncil lives For example, on his way to but the Carriers own "the kitchen When alcoholic beverages are served in Carr's-Hill, a university-owned Richmond once to deliver a speech. stuff." at university functions, the foundation home. Carrier had to finish writing his pays for them. Carrier said. By law, remarks. On the return trip, he "had lo The foundation owns most of the state money cannot be used to buy Chip German, director of UVa's news read a report on [JMU'sJ new College of artwork in the house but some of the alcohol. office, said the house was completed in Health and Human Development." furnishings arc "personal things we Fred Hilton, director of university 1909 on university-owned land. When other JMU administrators own," he said. "Some arc . lamps relations, said the JMU Foundation "There is no indication of any source accompany him on long trips, they we've bought as gifts for anniversaries.' pays for the renovations because the [of funding for the house] except for somcumCs drive, he said. The Carriers also own a silver house can be a valuable tool in standard university funding [such as] for University employees take care of he collection and one set of china they use obtaining monetary support. "The classrooms," he said. car and Oakvicw and its grounds, regularly, he said. "The foundation president's home is an official place UVa's Alumni Association provides Carrier said. The maintenance is done owns one set [of china]. When we have where guests arc entertained by the O'Ncil with a car to use on official for him and his family "principally 24 |people for dinner], we have lo use university." business, German said. All travel because I don't have time to take care of the Foundation china." Guests include "potential donors, expenses related to state or university the house." The house has undergone "constant alumni, student groups and state business arc paid for by the university. SGA meets Soviet students, passes rules By Meghan Johnson members of those commiticcs. The amendment also proposal was sent to the buildings and grounds SGA reporter said that if there is a vacancy in a chairmanship, "the committee. committee shall elect a new chairperson from among •Bell Hall senator Alex Gordon proposed the SGA JMU's Russian exchange students got a look al its members." investigate placing ice machines in each residence how our student government works when they Some senators objected to the amendment because hall. The proposal was sent to th; buildings and ■ stopped in at an SGA senate meeting Tuesday night. they felt committee members might not know each grounds committee. ' \ The six students, with three faculty members, other well enough to elect a leader. •Converse Hall senator Lisa Briggs proposed a stayed al the meeting to introduce themselves and Others said the voting would take too much of the kiosk for posting information fliers be built in the listen as their JMU adviser. Dr. Elizabeth Ncatrour, committees' working time and that electing Village area. The proposal was sent to the buildings addressed the senate. chairpersons from inside Ihc committee would be less and grounds committee. In other business, the senate failed one proposed representative of the student body and more of a •Selph proposed that Gibbons Dining Hall remain amendment to the SGA constitution and killed two popularity contest. open 10 to 15 minutes longer on Mondays, others. SGA Secretary Stcphan Fogleman said in his report Wednesdays and Fridays. The later closing would The senate passed an amendment recognizing the that the executive council vetoed two constitutional accommodate students who get out of classes at 9:50 right of Hillside area residents to elect SGA senators. amendments passed by the senate last month. a.m. The proposal was sent to the food services The constitution currently does not mention these The amendment would have allowed a committee advisory committee.