Groundbreaking for the new University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Sportcenter (fieldhouse) will begin before the end of this month, if funds are approved. Final budget discussions on the funding should be completed by this week.
Harry Probert, manager of Physical Plant, stated that the facility should be completed by September, 1977. The ground floor of the center will contain a varsity size court, with four intramural courts superimposed. The main gym also will divide into three separate sections. The first level will have training room for taping, whirlpool baths, and other activities. There will be a separate area located by the showers, for storage, equipment check-out, and laundry. Separate shower facilities will be capable of handling general and team use at the same time. The showers will be separated by a partition, according to Probert. In addition, there will be a weight room and wrestling room located on the first level. Four handball courts will also be included if the budget permits. Second Level Spectators will be entering onto the second level to ticket offices, conces- sion stands, and public restrooms. Seating capacity is expected to be 2500, according to Probert. A second floor exercise room, primarily for dance classes, will contain mirrors and ballet bars along its walls. Athletic department offices and more storage space will also be located on the upper level.
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On October 2 1976:Anne Uschak, Delta Chi's candidate, is crowned Homecoming Queen. Anne Uschak was later Crowned Miss Central Pennsylvania in 1980 Sexual relations between teachers and students were recently surveyed at UCLA.
Of the 350 questionaires circulated to both teaching assistants and professors, 15% were returned. Of those, 20% of the faculty admitted to having sexual relations with their students. Half, of those respondents said they approached the students and the other half said they were approached or just “fell” into affairs.) One faculty member revealed that the student he once slept with is now his wife and others claimed they slept with students but not their own. An excerpt from"The evolution of a college: a history of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (1927-1993)" by Robert J. Hunter A possible new development in the housing picture was revealed that fall (1975) by a student, ]ohn Hope, who was president of Delta Chi fraternity. He announced that tentative plans were underway to construct the first “Greek House” on the campus. A fund drive by Delta Chi fraternity the previous year had raised enough capital to enable the fraternity to consider the purchase of off- campus property for a fraternity house, but the convenience of being located on campus had outweighed all other considerations. Thus a proposal to build a fraternity house on campus had been presented to ]acob Stiffler, and had passed through the chain of command ultimately to President Blackington. The president had ruled that fraternity housing would have to be established on campus. He had wisely noted that UP], unlike many institutions, had little or no “town—gown” problems. Surely they would have them with off-campus fraternities. Besides, the college had plenty of land. Actually, Myron Fetterolf, father of Mitch Fetterolf, a member of Delta Chi, had offered the college $250,000 ($1,235,793 in 2022 dollars) to build a Delta Chi house on college property. Meeting in Mr. Fetterolf s office were Thomas Wonders, Dean Lowell Shaffer and President Blackington. He immediately declined the gift on the grounds that it would destroy the fraternity and sorority system as well as exacerbate the potential of strain between the “Greeks and non—Greeks” on campus. President Blackington countered with a proposal that Fetterolf allow his proffered gift to be used as a down payment on a complex of buildings that would house all the sororities and fraternities as well as a substantial number of “independent” students. It was a tension—ridden moment as Fetterolf turned and gazed out the window and contemplated his initial intention as well as the Blackington proposal that would come to mean so much to the development of the college. Eventually, the swivel chair and Fetterolf slowly turned back to the president. “I really think you are right, Dr. Blackington. Let’s do it.” Thus in a brief half—hour meeting, the direction of student life and enhanced student housing alternatives on the campus was established. As might be expected, the agreement between the Fetterolf family and President Blackington was the subject of considerable discussion. Opinions in opposition were expressed by faculty opposed to “discriminatory” housing and the subjection of the campus to “vicious hazing techniques” so common on some campuses. Others objected to the fact that the Faculty Senate had not had the opportunity to participate in the decision. Nevertheless, the administration held fast. Enrollment predictions indicated a need for at least 200 additional beds for the next Fall Term. In March the UP] Advisory Board endorsed the plans for building new housing. They urged getting started in early spring. Then it was announced that a Pittsburgh architectural firm, Urban Design Associates, had been selected for the task and had decided to hold a Workshop on the Johnstown campus at which they would solicit both student and faculty viewpoints. As a result of this decision, some 30 students selected as representative of the resident student body, along with three faculty members and two from the Advisory Board, met with the architects and engineers of Urban Design Associates. These professionals stated that they wished to “relate the new housing facilities to the social lives of the students.” A spokesman for the firm voiced the opinion that designing the housing, preparing detailed engineering drawings, appointing a contractor, clearing the sites and erecting some 230 housing units between March and September would be “a tremendously difficult task.” He estimated the cost at $7200 for each of the 230 units, or something over $1.6 million. For a change, even The Advocate's editorial writers had only enthusiastic words of praise for the leadership of Urban Design, and for those who had demonstrated the insight to choose this firm for the task. Completion and Occupancy of Campus LodgesIn the Fall of 1976, almost ignored, in the meantime, was the important fact that a “near miracle” had been achieved between March and September, and there were now five new housing units, as yet unnamed, providing living spaces for 256 additional resident students. This raised the “on-campus” capacity of the college to 1096. Two of the five new buildings, designed by Urban Design Associates, were reserved for independent housing, while three others became the new quarters for Delta Chi, Lambda Sigma Rho, Acacia and Delta Sigma Chi social fraternities, and of Alpha Xi Delta, Zeta Sigma Tau and Delta Zeta social sororities. Each of the five buildings housed 64 students in living units accommodating eight, 16 or 24 persons. Kitchenettes had been built into the lobby or the basement of each unit. All of the new buildings were equipped with wall—to—wall carpeting in both the lobby and bedroom areas. The Delta Chi house, largely paid for by their own “building fund,” was said to be “architecturally more like the older dormitory halls.” Student reaction to these new housing units, by those assigned to live in them, seemed overwhelmingly favorable. Later that fall winners in a contest to name the townhouses and the newer units were announced, with President Blackington presenting the cash prizes. In a student dining hall ceremony, it was announced that from now on the “group- housing” units would be called lodges, and that the townhouse apartment buildings would become manors. In all, there had been 265 entries in the “name the residence halls” contest. Nancy Salem of Johnstown received first prize of $50, while Lois Carducci and Eileen Dewald, residents of Laurel Hall, received $25 each for their second-place tie. Now there would be a Timberline Manor, Highland Manor, Cascade Manor, Woodland Manor, Summit Manor and Wilderness Manor. And the group—housing units were christened Heather Lodge, Foxfire Lodge, Larkspur Lodge, Hawthorn Lodge and Briar Lodge. Nearly everyone seemed pleased with the decision to maintain the tradition of “honoring nature,” as had been done when the original and subsequently added dormitories had been called “halls” and named after typical trees of the Pennsylvania forests. editors note: Myron F. Fetterolf, 60 of White Star Village, Jennerstown, died June 9, 1980
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