Indian 1974-12-13

              Fr. Matthew terms Times Union report "Inaccurate"
Colonie refuses to issue occupancy
permit for new recreation center
By JOHN SZYPULSKI
Final approval of the College's $1.9 million Alumni Recreational Facility has been withheld by the Town of Colonie. As reported in yesterday's edition of the Albany Times-Union, the building's bathroom facilities do not meet the Town's minimum requirements.
According to the Times-Union, "Town buildings Superintendent Ralph C. Hildenbrandt said Wednesday he has refused to issue a permanent certificate of occupancy, the final inspection approval needed for use of the building, until additional toilets and urinals have
been installed in the 4,500-seat sports facility."
A temporary verbal occupancy permit has been issued so that the Siena Indians were able to play their first two home games in the building. This permit is not for any specific time period.
The article also reports that the steel superstructure was built in violation of New York State building codes with the approval of the state through a variance granted by the state Board of Review. The problem was with the fact that the steelwork in the building was not covered with fire resistant materials. The
variance   was   issued   by   the   state   in March.
Chief building inspector, Frank R. Kennedy stated that the building should have sixteen toilets and ten urinals. The restrooms in the central lobby have ten toilets and five urinals. The inspector also indicated that the College had submitted plans to the town in August to construct toilet facilities in the southwest corner of the new gymnasium, and that the temporary certificate of occupancy was granted with the understanding that the facilities would be built. According to Kennedy, the facilities "haven't been
put in yet. But they have the underground plumbing, and when they're in it will be adequate."
Reaction to the published story from people on campus has been negative. Father Matthew T. Conlin, College president, terms the story, "Innaccurate, we are not in violation of the codes." According to Fr. Matthew, the college is not in violation of the Town codes "or we would not have a certificate of occupancy."
Wfien  asked  if restrooms would  be
Continued on page 12
The INDIAN
A SELF REGULATED
STUDENT PRESS IS A
FREE STUDENT PRESS.
A FREE STUDENT PRESS
IS FREE TO ALL
WHO HAVE SOMETHING
WORTH SAYING.
Volume XXXVl, No. 7
Siena College, Loudonville N.Y. 12211
December 13, 1974
Tuition hike announced
By BILL ELLIS News Editor
The Siena Board of Trustees, after several meetings, has reluctantly decided that starting in September 1975 tuition will have to be raised by $80 and that room and board for dormitory students will have to be increased by $100.
Blaming the needed increase on a combination of maintainance cost on school building, food service, escalating fuel costs, and the need for a salary increase for college staff. Father Matthew Conlin says that even though Siena costs are going up, we are still in comparatively good financial shape as opposed to other colleges of the same size. (For example, St. Bonaventure just raised its tuition by $500.)
Student reaction to the increase has
been mixed. "I wouldn't mind the tuition increases if I could see what the money is being used for in terms of viable activites," says sophomore Judy Allen. One Plassmann Hall resident complained of having to bear the brunt of increases to help supply the funds for activities in which he took no part. In the same vein students who were asked seemed to shown a distinct lack of surprise that tuition was going up. What did surprise many was the fact that the increase was not much larger.
At rhis point it should be said that although the financial aid students receive will reflect the increases in tuition, they are encouraged by those at the financial office to get their various forms filled out correctly and to get them over to the office as early as possible to make sure they are processed.
Alumni Recreational Center to be dedicated
The Rev. Mat'hew T. Conlin, OFM, president, congratulates John Obermayer, '58, for leading the college's 1973 Annual Fund Drive to a Grand Award in competition sponsored by the U.S. Steel Foundation. The award — $2,000 and the Mobis Strip shown above — was presented recently during a President's Club reception and dinner honoring some 780 persons who contribute $100 or more to the Annual Fund. Siena, one of only three colleges to win a Grand Award, did so by outdistancing more than 1,093 private and public institutions throughout the nation. The award was based on the record-setting $140,875 raised by Siena alumni and friends during the 1973 Annual Fund Drive.
President's Club
celebrates award winning year
Siena College's $1.9-million multi¬ purpose Alumni Recreation Center will be dedicated at 1:30 p.m. Sunday (Dec. 15), reports the Rev. Matthew T. Conlin, OFM, President.
Following the ceremony, an open house and reception will be held until 4 p.m. The public is invited to all events.
Highlight of the open house, in addition to a tour of the Center and an art display, will be simultaneous basketball, tennis, badminton, volleyball, track, and ping-pong demonstrations.
Also open to the public will be Siena's athletic administrative offices, mini-gym with universal weight lifting apparatus,
sauna bath, conference rooms and student and varsity locker rooms.
The 54,000 square-foot structure, among the largest in the area, is named in honor of Siena's 7,800 alumni in grateful recongition of their loyalty, support and service. It will seat 4,500 spectators for major concerts, lectures, convocations and basketball games.
The Center, with its artificial ChemTurf surface, contains room for three full-size basketball courts; two volleyball courts; three handball courts, and two singles and doubles tennis courts. When not in
Continued on page 12
By MARY NASH Managing Editor
On November 23, Fr. Matthew Conlin, college President, was officially presented with the 3rd place awa^^ in the Grand Category for Alumni Giving of the U.S. Steel Company by John Obermayer. The occasion of this presentation was the President's Club Reception.
The President's Club consists of individuals who donate $100 or more to Siena. Last year the annual Alumni Giving Campaign raised $128,000, of this the President's Club members donated $90,000, according to John Obermayer, chairman of the Alumni Giving Campaign '74-'75.
The reception was held in Gibbon's
Hall with cocktails before dinner in the Rathskeller. Following dinner brief remarks were delivered by Obermayer. Obermayer lauded the Alumni in general, and the members of the President's Club explaining the great honor bestowed upon Siena by the U.S. Steel Award.
The featured speaker of the evening was John Kirkpatrick, President of the commission on Independent Colleges and Universities of the State of New York. Kirkpatrick cited voluntaryism as the key element in the development of higher education. He praised Chancellor Boyer for a "Wise and moderate use of power," in dealing with independent and private colleges.
Continued on page 12