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VolumeXLVJI , o.JS The U of L Stud nt Newspap r
Copyright 1976, The Lou1svlfle Cardinal
January 9, 1976
Controversy erupts over U of L building plans
By DEBBY GRAVES
A controversy has sprung up over two
buildings on U of L's Belknap Campus -
chiefly between the university and the
Louisville Preservation Alliance. But ,
according to Dave Baker, director of U of
L public relations, the whole thing is
something of "a tempest in a teapot. '
John ullinanc. executive director of
the Preservation Alliance , has expressed
concern that Brigman Hall, built in 1893
and Belknap Theatre, built in 1874
would be "adversely affected" by future
university construction.
According to the campus master plan
Brigman Hall would be raxed, and
Belknap Theatre would be dismantled
and moved closer to the Speed Museum
to provide room for a new
library-learning resource center.
Cullinane says that both buildings have
been nominated to the National Register
of Historic Places by the Preservation
Alliance , and that executive order 11593
would prevent buildings worthy of the
register being adversely affected by
federally licensed or funded projects.
Baker, however, says that future
university construction would be
state-funded.
ullinane proposed as an alternative
that the university renovate, rather than
destroy Brigman Hall, And he sugg~.sted
that a library be incorporated around
Belknap Theatre , rather than risk
destroying the acoustics of the bu1l ling
by it's relocation.
"The alliance is in no way opposed to
U of L's physical development ," says
Cullinane, "But we would ask that they
proceed with sensitivity."
Baker says that there is "no definite
commitment by the university to tear
down anything." He says that Dr. MilJer,
in a December 1 2 meeting with
preservationishts, expressed his
Photograph by Ric:Mrd Y.n.r
Wesley Cox broke out of an early season slump to win Most Valuable Player honors
in last month's Holiday Classic. Cox's heroics, though haven't been enough to keep
the Cardinals from losing their last two games. See pg. IS.
willingness to look into the alternative ,
and that no definite decisions have been
made to ra~ Brigman Hall.
Concerning the relocation of Belknap
Theatre, Baker says, "The assumption is
that we could get acouc;tical engineers to
somewhat restore the acoustics. And he
says that it appear unfeasible to "wrap
the library around the theatre" because
an additional investment of money into
the design could limit the functional
scope of the library.
Baker claims that Brigman Hall is
"well-liked" by the university, and that
university planners "are most sensitive to
old buildings." But he notes that like the
old medical school, at 1st and Chestnut ,
rennovation costs may exceed the cost of
a new building.
According to Baker, Brigman Hall
cannot presently meet fire c des and the
building i thought to be structurally
unsound.
"The upshot is that the state
department of engineering is unlikely to
allow us to spend additional money for
its renovation '' says Baker. "But if
Brigman Hall were to come down, it
would be after an exten ive study of all
dterna tives."
To avoid moving Belknap Theatre­Baker
says that additional property near
Speed Museum would have to be
purchased.
"We just can't justify to the state
buying more property when we have the
property to move the playhouse," says
Baker. "Before we can make
commitments we have to check the price
tag and justify it to the state."
Legislative committe reverses
itself on more U of L funds
By RICHARD WALKER
In the past two weeks the University
of Louisville's fund requests being
presented to the 1976 General Assembly
jumped around almost as rapidly as a
thermometer in the Ohio Valley.
At a meeting Monday in Frankfort, a
spe cial legislative budget review
committee reversed itself and
recommended that U of L be given the
same amount of money as originally
proposed by the state Council on Public
Higher Education.
In so doing, it changed its mind on a
tentative recommendation the previous
week that the university receive $6.6
million above the Council's funding
proposal.
The legislative committee is working
to produce the first budget bill ever
written by a General Assembly body that
would be separate from the budget
prepared by the governor.
U of L originally asked the state for
nearly $22 million in "catch-up" money
to bring it to a point comparable with
other universities in the public higher
education system. That request was in
addition to regular opera ting funds.
The higher education council
recommended that U of L be allocated
about $4.7 million in what it referred to
as "parity adjustment" money that the
university could spend at its discretion.
In initially approving a figure higher
than that proposed by the Council,
legislative committee members said they
would prefer that additional "catch-up"
money for U of L be spent for specific
programs.
The panel asked for funding in two
categories: instruction , including 508
additional faculty and staff positions, and
increased institutional support for such
items as upkeep of buildings.
In reversing itself this week, the
legislative budget committee decided to
spread the Council's original $4.7 million
recommendJtion over hoc two
categories. The committee had dropped
the Council's "parity adjustment" funds
fr m the higher education budget request
and added the $4.7 million for the two
categories.
State Rep. Joe Clarke , D-Danville,
chairman of the legislative budget panel,
said the legislative budget was not
designed to compete with the budget
Gov. Julian Carroll is expected to present
later this month.
He said the legislators hope to present
recommendations " in legislative language
that can be put into whatever budget bill
is passed."
The overa ll higher education budget
that was approved by the panel was
initially lower than the recommendations
made by the state Council.
Carroll made no direct reference to
higher education or the University of
Louisville in his "state of the
ommonwealth" address to the General
Assembly Wednesday night.
The governor stressed, however , his
view that the state must hold the line on
state spending.
Previously , Carroll has pledged his
support for "full-funding" of the
University of Louisville, which he said
would include funding as available to
reduce tuition and bring the institution
fully into the state system of public
colleges.
The governor's budget request is
expected to be unveiled before a joint
session of the General Assembly before
the end of January.
So me observers have expressed
concern that legislation affecting the
U n iver si ty of Louisville and the
metropolitan Louisville area generally
might have rougher going in the current
legislative session than in the past because
no Jefferson County legislators hold
positions of leadership in either the
House or Senate.