The University has begun construction on what it hopes will be fields of dreams, but some students are questioning the relative benefits of the change.
The Board of Trustees unanimously approved renovations to the two athletic fields behind Memorial Gym on East Campus in its May 12 meeting. The renovations, which began on May 16, will place artificial turf and lighting on one field, while maintaining the other field's natural grass surface.
Although the vote by the entire board was unanimous, the Buildings and Grounds committee of the board, which met earlier in the morning on May 12, was not as supportive. The committee passed the proposal 6-3, with dissenting votes cast by both student members and a professor.
"Playing on artificial turf is not an option," said technical services employee Selden Smith, a member of the University's club rugby team. "Everybody would be rubbed pretty raw."
In a meeting of the trustees' Business and Finance committee, Tom Butters, director of athletics, said that the turf for East Campus was given to the University at no cost. Butters said that in exchange for paying "top dollar" for the resurfacing of the West Campus fields, the Astroturf company agreed to provide the artificial turf on East Campus free of charge.
Donald Lane, supervisor of the field renovations on East, also said that the University was not charged for the East Campus fields.
Butters was out of town and could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Administrators insist that the artificial turf field is a necessity, due to the increased burden that the all-freshman campus will place on them next year.
"Natural grass, if used as projected, could not survive that kind of use," said John Pearce, University architect. "It plain can't be maintained." He said that field conditions worsen when lights are installed because of the potential for 24-hour use.
But Steve Truckenbrod, the Graduate and Professional Student Council representative to the Building and Grounds committee, said he believes that it is possible to maintain a natural grass recreational field.
"The reason fields get torn up is not because they are being overused, but [because] they are being used poorly," he said, adding that the University should, like other area schools, close the grass fields during and after inclement weather to prevent excess wear and tear. "To say [students] can't play on natural grass is a cop out. [The athletic department] just hasn't tried."
Pearce, however, said that availability is one of the administration's main concerns. He said that a lighted, artificial surface with an advanced drainage system will greatly increase both the amount and quality of the play on that field. "It provides accessibility to students all day," he said.
Tom D'Armi, director of games, operations and facilities for the athletic department, also said that he felt students would benefit from a lighted, artificial field. "We're [turfing the field] because students didn't want to play in the mud."
Smith said that he doubted the University's stated intentions. "I can't help but think that the decision was made for ease of maintenance rather than for any great desire for students to play," he said.
Justin Dillon contributed to this story.
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