Central Florida Future, Vol. 13 No. 16, January 9, 1981

              LIBRAE
lutura
Non-Pro fit Orgn.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 3575
Orlando, Florida
Volume 13
Friday, January 9, 1981
University of
Central Florida
No. 16
Cancelled tourney hurts debate team prestige
by Dana Treen
Associate editor
Cancellation of a holiday debate
tournament usually held at UCF may
seriously affect the tournament's
national prestige, according to the
coach and captain of the UCF debate
team.
The competition, which was to be
held on Dec. 28, 29 and 30 was canceled when administration officials
decided that the cost of keeping
buildings open   for  the  tournament
would be too high.
The tournament, which has been
held at UCF for the past four years,
would have drawn 60 teams from
around  the nation  said John  Butler,
debate team coach. Harvard, Dartmouth, Georgetown and Northwestern were among the colleges that
were expected to attend.
Butler said that the tournament had
been growing in popularity over the
past four years and that the cancelation this year could affect UCF's
credibility with other schools.
Richard Milian, UCF debate team
captain, said that hosting the debates
at UCF was helpful in recruiting new
members a.s well as in bringing
prestige to the school-. "It hurts our
program," he said of the decision.
The UCF debate team was ranked
seventh in the nation last -year, with
former team captain Barry Ragsdale
rated the third best individual debater
in the U.S. for the same period. First
and second places in individual
rankings went to Dartmouth and Northwestern respectively.
UCF campus changes with the times
by Mary Wilson
Managing editor
Doug Marks
Assistant managing editor
UCF underwent a construction facelift during the holiday
break, ranging from parking lot paintwork to the refurbishing of rooftops.
-The new year is bringing a new face to the university, with
some structures completed, -others awaiting the final
touches, and still others on the architectural drawing boards. "We've been very busy over here," said Robert Webb,
director of Facilities Planning.
Wheelchair Rampways
"Federal regulations require that all our buildings are accessible to the handicapped," said Webb. "We're slowly but
surely complying." By constructing a $6,000 wheelchair
ramp into the Classroom Building, UCF is one step closer.
Completed during the break, the r?mp is a convenient
alternitive to the olid one located on the east side of the
building.
"Formerly, anyone in a wheelchair, would have to take
four 90-degree turns up a 3 foot-wide ramp in order to enter," Webb said. The new one at the west end is straight and
about five feet wide.
He said the next project is a ramp for the police department, which now does not accommodate wheelchairs.
Student Union/Health Center
The union may undergo final inspection next week, Webb
said. The new health center will be ready for students in a
few weeks. The combined projects cost $2.2 million.
Parking
Over the  holidays, UCF acquired 486 parking spaces by
drawing a.few straight lines.
■ Construction, page 6
Kevin Mason/Future
This ground breaking ceremony at the new dorm
site is a common one on a growing campus.
Committee nears end of athletics evaluation
After working through the break, a
three-man committee is composing its
final draft of assessments and recommendations regarding UCF athletic
department performance.
The report, originally requested by
President Colbourn for completion
Dec. 17, will probably be finished
within the next week, according to Dr.
Ralph Kennedy, committee chairman.
"We will definitely be making a long
list of recommendations," said Kennedy, touching on such areas as
"organization, personnel processes and
operation" of the department.
Kennedy, would not indicate what
those recommendations would be, if
they would involve shifts in personnel,
In the Future
nor whether the committee's findings
were generally negative or favorable.
"This is an evaluative report," said
committee member John PI Goree, vice
president of business affairs, "and
evaluative reports are confidential."
"Since it is a report to him
(Colbourn) which concerns personnel
matters," said Kennedy, "it's not
—————— Evaluation, page 6
Butler noted that the UCF had been
in competition with the University of
Southern California, which also hosts a
holiday tournament. Because of the
high national standing of the UCF
ieam and because of the drawing
power of Florida sunshine on
snowbound northerners "ours has
been gaining in stature and theirs has
been declining," he said.
The UCF tournament could be
ranked among thc top ten in the
nation, said Butler, and many of the
i teams that had planned to participate
in this year's competition had "turned
their back's on Southern L.al and then
got a slap in the face from UCF." How
this will affect future holiday tournaments at UCF is unclear.
UCF officials had decided to cancel
the tournament when it was determined that the cost of heating, air conditioning, lighting and the attendant
ser\ ices needed to keep the buildings
open would be prohibitive.
Richard Neuhaus, assistant director
of the Physical Plant, said that the
estimated cost of keeping the facilities
open would run between $8 and $12
per hour per room. Nearly 50 rooms in
the classroom, engineering and
humanities buildings would be needed.
Because UCF was unable to sponsor
the tournament this year, Valeneia '
Community College, held the competition on its campus. Bill Snider,
debate team coach at Valencia, said
they hosted 34 teams in their tournament. It was unknown what additional expenses were incurred by
Valencia for holding the debates.
The UCF tournament could
be ranked among the top
ten in the nation, said
Butler...
An entrance fee of $60 per team was
charged by Valencia. UCF had asked
each team for a $50 fee.
It is hoped that the tournament will
return to UCF next fall. "If the university is open we'll give it another trv,"
said Butler;
Butler concurred with the university
administration's decision to cancel thc
tournament. "I can understand saving
a  substantial   amount  of  money  on
' energy," he said.
Dr. John Bolte, associate vice
president of academic affairs, said that
it was unfortunate that the debate had
to canceled. "I certainly hope we can
hold it next year at UCF, he said. "I
think it is an excellent program that
brings prestige to the school."
For ladies only
Looking up a lover is easy in this guide
to Orlando's most eligible bachelors. See
page 5 for more information.
Curtain closing
on Shakespeare
To be, or...? UCF's acclaimed Simply Shakespeare troupe is no longer performing. Find out why on page 3.