Launched into media scrutiny and public backlash in the past month after the demolition of the president’s residence, the University of Maryland is working to defend the construction of a new $7.2 million, 14,000 sq. ft. home for President Wallace Loh called University House.
Many are challenging the university’s use of funds and timing of a lavish project due to recent budget cuts in the athletic department that eliminated eight varsity sports. Vice President for University Relations Brodie Remington sent out an email defending the new building to University of Maryland students saying University House is necessary for President Loh to continue to host important university events and will be completely funded by private donors.
“We wanted to get out our side of the story, what we see as the facts so all these misconceptions- so we would overcome the misconceptions the best we could,” Remington says. “That’s all there was to it. If people pay attention to the facts, by and large they will understand what this project is and how it will be a benefit to the university.”
University House will be funded by the UMCP Foundation, a 501 (c) 3 organization. Remington says all gifts are designated from the donors to go towards University House. He says the project was started before problems in the athletic department surfaced.
“It is a very difficult issue. Unfortunately requires a complicated response that a lot of people don’t pay attention too,” Remington says.
Questioned on the allocation of funds, Remington says “It’s not an either or choice. We need to do a lot of things on campus.” At a given time, he says the UMCP Foundation is working on 20-30 projects.
“The reality is some succeed and some don’t, or don’t as much as we would like them to,” Remington says. He says the funds cannot legally be used for a purpose other than University House.
However, in a list of 40 expected donors, only 20 have committed funds totaling $4.5 million. Barry Gossett is a confirmed donor, but the list will not be released until permission from donors to go public is received, Remington confirms.
Remington says the story “. . . only came to big public light because of a complaint from a member of the board of public works.” The project gained approval by the University System of Maryland Chancellor and the Board of Regents in September 2010. The Maryland Board of Public Works approved the new house in September of 2011.
University House will include 10,000 sq. ft. of facilities for university use, costing $5.2 million. It will provide room to host dinner for up to 125 people and standing room for 350 people. The residential area will be 4,000 sq. ft.
“It will be nice but not fancy,” Remington says. “Kitchen, family room, study room, garage, four bedrooms, some bathrooms- that’s it. All the other space, 10,000 sq. ft., is work space for the university.”
When called a mansion, Remington is quick to defend University House. He says the house will be beneficial to the university in the long run. Remington says the space will allow for President Loh to host campus events and meetings important for fundraising and recognizing staff and students. He estimates it will generate an additional $10 million per year.
The former president’s residence did not meet fire codes. It lacked a fire sprinkler system, did not have smoke alarms with a battery back up on each level of the house and was not on the campus-wide fire alarm monitoring system, according to a report on the UMCP Foundation’s website.
Remington adds that one-third of the house was unlivable except as storage space. Five individually submitted proposals suggested building a new house was more cost-effective than renovations to the existing house.
Students have met the issue with mixed feelings.
Junior kinesiology major and former University of Maryland swimmer Chelsey Eberwein says, “I was frustrated to see funds being allocated towards the president building a new house, but I know there is probably much more into the budgeting then we all know about, but it is still frustrating to see.”
“Given the recent sports dilemma it looks awfully bad,” junior government and politics major Justin Greer says. “But in the long run, it’ll be a good move.”
University House is expected to open for use in September 2012.