Kristin Buchanan
STAFF WRITER
For a little more than a year, University of Houston faculty and staff have exchanged concerns and voiced opinions about problems around campus through an Internet message board, or Listserve. Recently, the Listserve has been used as a forum to discuss whether or not UH provides a good learning environment for students.
Neglected maintenance was blamed for students having to deal with rat-infested classrooms, avoid electric shock from wet power cords and endure leaky ceilings, along with their studies. Professors also argued that simple maintenance problems, bad lighting and noisy car alarms from parking lots in front of buildings provide inconvenient distractions for students who pay thousands of dollars a year for a college education.
A number of problems were cited in Agnes Arnold, where most UH students eventually attend at least one class. Complaints about conditions in this building have been reported for many years.
Many professors expressed frustration in trying to get things repaired. However, a few have been successful.
Professor of geosciences John C. Butler contrived a plan to improve learning conditions. He convinced the former UH President James Pickering to set aside $100,000 for maintenance. Though the plan lasted only two years, it resulted in the replacement of the seats and carpet in the AH auditoriums.
"Everybody expects lecture rooms to be changed, but somebody has to come up with the money. We need modern classrooms and a variety of settings. The faculty needs to get a group together and start lobbying to get a system established that will have a schedule for things to be replaced, instead of waiting for a disaster to happen," Butler said.
Not all the discussion on the state of repairs was negative. Many UH buildings have also received praise from professors.
. The Moores School of Music, which is less than a year old, was described as having nearly perfect facilities for teaching.
The Kiva - located in Farish Hall - was built in the early 1970's, and it has been kept in good repair. With its two seating tiers, stage, advanced audio-visual equipment and rotund shape, the Kiva has been the envy of other departments.