UNH: Cowell Stadium lighting will be done

By Kimberley Haas khaas@fosters.com

Saturday, October 26, 2013

DURHAM At the end of a week where lights and renovations to Cowell Stadium were thrown into the media spotlight by House Republican Leader Gene Chandler, officials from the University of New Hampshire responded with an announcement Friday that the work would be done, along with a number of other capital projects. Chandler made headlines earlier this week when he said $1.5 million in taxpayer dollars should not go to the stadium, citing other capital projects which he considered more important to the higher education of New Hampshire students. The decision to prioritize this project ahead of $180 million of other requests USNH presented to the Governor and legislature earlier this year was surprising. The decision to use the States Capital Budget appropriation to fund this project was surprising, Chandler wrote in an email sent to media members Monday. Chandler said the university never asked for the money and it was added into the budget by State Senator Lou DAllesandro of Manchester, a Democrat who is well-known for playing football at UNH. He was a co-captain of the team in 1960 and is in the schools Athletic Hall of Fame. Chandler also questioned the $500,000 State Senator Jim Rausch recommended for renovation of the State Veterinarian Diagnostic Laboratory. Rausch said he worked hard to earn consensus on adding that to the capital budget after learning the current building the vet lab is housed in, Kendall Hall, is filled with asbestos and needs to be torn down. Hewitt Annex is where the lab will be housed after that building is renovated. Rausch said the state uses UNH facilities to test for rabies, avian flu and West Nile diseases. Both senators were upset by Chandlers remarks. DAllesandro went as far as to call Chandlers inferences about the projects nonsense. Chandler said Friday he will continue to look into the matter, as he believes state law requires the trustees of the university approve of the capital budget. The Financial Affairs Committee of the USNH board of trustees voted Thursday to approve the expenditures. In a press release from Erika Mantz, director of media relations, the university announced the approval of campus master plans for Plymouth State University and the University of New Hampshire, that will help meet growing demands and include projects to renovate and expand approximately 90,000 square feet of academic buildings. The committee also approved approximately $47 million in capital projects across the four institutions, which includes $8 million in state capital appropriation. We are grateful to the state legislature for this capital funding and look forward to a continued partnership as we work to renovate and upgrade the educational, student life, and research facilities

across our campuses, said USNH Chancellor Todd Leach. Given the available funding from the state for capital projects, our institutions have identified these particular projects as having significant value and impact in both the short and long term. The campuses and board of trustees are trying to carefully balance the many needs of our students, faculty, and staff, as well as the citizens of our state, while at the same time maximize the impact of available funds. These facilities are all state assets and todays vote allows us to expand and better serve our students and citizens of the state, said Tim Riley, chair of the Financial Affairs Committee. Ground breaking on all of the approved projects is slated to begin in 2014.