Maroon

              THE MAROON "For a Greater Loyola ESTABLISHED 1923 VOL. 76 NO. 22 Loyola University New Orleans FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 1998 Faculty raise inadequate, senate says By STEPHEN STUART Copy Editor Loyola's Board of Trustees should ensure nationally competitive faculty salaries and raises higher than the 2 percent planned for next year, according to a recent motion passed by the University Senate. The motion, which said the extra money should come from a draw down on the university's endowment, passed at the senate's April 2 meeting. It said the raises in principle should be not just 2 percent, but 2 percent above the U.S. inflation rate in order to pay faculty properly. The motion's author, religious studies professor Vernon Gregson, introduced the motion at the Feb. 5 meeting, but the senate postponed its vote until April for lack of time to discuss it. The board will receive the senate's request at its May meeting when it must approve the university's final budget. Gregson's motion proposes that the faculty salary raise of 2.5 percent for this year and planned raises of 2 percent for the next Public Safety still scratching its head over rash of thefts By JACKIE WILNEFF Assistant News Editor Another wave of thefts has hit the Communications/Music complex. During the Easter weekend, someone broke into the office of Jim Eiseman, associate communications professor, and stole his new Macintosh computer. Mary Blue, associate communications professor, also reported some stolen property over the weekend. Eiseman reported his computer stolen on Monday when he found his office ransacked. A blanket, a sports bag and the change from his desk were also stolen. Eiseman says he thinks that the person used the bag and the blanket to cover up and carry the computer out of the building. Eiseman said the computer cost more than $3,000. The door was closed and locked, but there were several marks on the door around the lock. UNDERGROUND UNDERWATER Unexpected foundation problems leave former Wolf Pub in sink or swim situation By JACKIE WILNEFF Assistant News Editor Loyola's latest attempt to go Underground is now underwater. Plans to open the Underground this week were delayed after the discovery of problems in the foundation of the soonto-be-converted Wolf Pub. The problem, a leaky floor, caused complications for the past several weeks, according to Patty Shore of Donahue Favret, the company renovating the area. She said workers have been stepping around puddles up to several inches deep. Tim Bamett, director of the Danna Center, said the problems were unexpected. "When we originally started the project, we did not have a water problem, but we ended up having to drill two holes to be able to pump water from the cleaning sinks back into the drain system of the Danna Center," he said. "Somehow or another — we can't tell you why — the water started filling in these holes." The construction company decided to fill the holes with sealant. That remedy kept water out of the holes but then it began seeping in through seams in the foundation, Bamett said. Water began appearing along the walls and where there had previously been cracks in the floor. Shore said they then decided to drill holes in the back utility room to relieve the pressure of water coming through the seams. The newly drilled holes were pumped out, and as long as the pump work, the water is contained. Shore said this is only a temporary FOUNDATION PROBLEMS A look at the problems that lie below the floor of the Underground. A The Underground's floor rests on a layer of sand approximately 10 inches deep. B Beneath the layer of sand, workers found a second, unexpected foundation, which may be explained by the original plans for the building which called for a bowling alley in that area. C Water, possibly from the construction of the new dorm, is seeping in between the floor of the Underground and the newly discovered sub-foundation. D Seams in the floor are allowing water to seep in from the foundation's sandy sublayer. UNDERGROUND SAGA Important dates in the Me of the Underground renovation project. OCTOBER 1987 — DECEMBER 1987 Original opening dates. Failed to open because of mechanical and electrical problems. JAN. 26,1996 Bids for the project go out later than expected. Contest to guess the opening date is begun. MARCH 13 Deadline for the contest to guess the opening date. Opening date projected as April 16. APRIL 17 Foundation problems delay Underground's grand opening for a third time. Staff photo by SARAH BARNETT Foundation problems in the Underground have resulted in the flooding of a utility room located in the back of the Underground. Efficiency desired in powering the campus By MICHAEL GIUSTI News Editor Power consumption is a concern unique among environmentalists. Not only is it beneficial for the environment to have a power-conscious public, but it is also makes good economic sense. Loyola spends more than 3 percent of its total operating budget on utilities alone. The university is not ignorant of the fact that power costs money. Both Loyola's Central Plant and Physical Plant have made strides in heating, cooling, lighting and O Greening up Loyola Part 4 ol 5 controlling and monitoring power consumption which should reduce consumption of electricity and natural gas. Perhaps the most progressive environmental step Loyola has taken is in its computer monitoring system. A group of computers in Central Plant monitors the output of the campus air conditioners and heatmg system. Central Plant engineers program times into the computer when people will be in certain. During holiday periods and at night, the system automatically slows the heating and cooling system for each area. "The chillers each have their own microprocessors to make sure they use only enough energy. ... That way they are not burning energy for no reason at all," said Jim Staff photo by PIERCE PRESELY Loyola's air conditioning keeps its cool with cooling towers on West Road. See WATER, Pg. 5 See SENATE, Pg. 3 See THEFT, Pg. 3 See POWER. Pg. 5 — Residents not hooking Nicaragua takes group of n, p I Improv takes raucous ~ up to computer network. gringos out to ball game. J slant with Brown!