9/8/05 OSU uses power of eminent

December 8th, 2005 at 3:58 pm (O'Collegian)

Sept 8, 2005

Oklahoma State University is using its power of eminent domain for the first time to take control of three properties near campus.

Three court cases are pending in Payne County District Court to determine how much OSU will pay the owners of the properties, said Mike Bale, director of OSU Risk and Property Management. At the request of the parties, jury trials have been scheduled for early next year to determine the issue of compensation, he said.

Eminent domain is a sensitive issue for some students.

“I don’t know if it’s fair to take somebody off of their property and not give them a choice,” said Nicole Birnbaum, zoology senior. “I definitely think they should be given the full amount that it’s worth.”

- “OSU uses power of eminent.” Shannon Muchmore, Senior Staff Writer. The Daily O’Collegian

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Frank Deford, Cobb Speaker Series

December 1st, 2005 at 3:39 pm (O'Collegian)

Sports Illustrated writer emphasizes importance of sports, education - Shannon Muchmore, Chief Reporter

Sportswriter Frank Deford said on Friday that college sports detract from education at universities, but the situation will probably never change.

2 Comments

  1. Lee Agnew said,

    December 1, 2005 at 4:08 pm

    My sister Marion found the email address of Frank Deford’s publicist (grabow@grabow.biz) and tell him what’s been going on.

    I sent the following email early yesterday morning:

    Dear Sir or Madam,

    I understand that you represent Frank Deford in his role as public speaker. Our family got to hear him speak November 4 at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK at the “Friends of the OSU Library” banquet.

    We all greatly enjoyed his entertaining and insightful comments, especially about the over-emphasis colleges currently place on athletics: He noted that you never see music professors recruiting tenors for the glee club the way that coaches recruit linebackers!

    It was the height of irony for many of us that the day after Mr. Deford’s talk, the Oklahoma State administration announced the impending acquisition of over 400 homes north of campus, with funds provided by oil baron T. Boone Pickens — for the purpose of building a 100-acre “athletic village,” with housing and practice facilities (indoor and outdoor) for a number of men’s and women’s sports.

    As you may imagine, this announcement has provoked quite a reaction among the people who happen to live or own property in the affected area; and concern by many in the larger community regarding the human and environmental impact of the project, the timing and manner of its announcement, and its long-term sustainability, given current demographic projections of college age population in the area and nationwide.

    I am sure that Mr. Deford would have neither the time nor the inclination to involve himself in a town/gown political dispute in Oklahoma (even if it involves the “State University” rather than the “University of”), nor would I want to ask him to do so.

    But I would like, first, to thank him again for his support of the “core” academic mission of OSU by his address to the Friends of the Library; and second, to somehow draw his attention to the November 28 comic strip on this web site:

    http://boonestate.blogspot.com/

    I think he’d appreciate it.

    Sincerely,

    Lee Agnew (OSU, 1972)

    I haven’t heard back from anybody, but if I do this site will be among the first to know.

  2. Marion Agnew said,

    December 1, 2005 at 4:11 pm

    My brother and I have called Mr. Deford’s attention to the OSU Boone-doggle by contacting his publicist, commenting on the NPR Web site, and through snail-mail.

    His speech was the night before the expansion was announced. When I talked to him in the book-signing line, I tried to say that the situation won’t change ONLY IF WE DON’T WORK TO MAKE IT CHANGE.

    Little did I know how soon I’d have that chance.

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O’Collegian Articles

December 1st, 2005 at 3:36 pm (Newspapers/Media/Regents, O'Collegian)

Residents to address regents about master plan - Shannon Muchmore, Chief Reporter

Master plan opposition to appeal to regents - Shannon Muchmore, Chief Reporter

OSU waits to present Campus Master Plan, The presentation of the master plan to the regents has been postponed until January - Shannon Muchmore, Chief Reporter

Commissioners concerned about master plan - Shannon Muchmore, Chief Reporter

OSU to make property offers by March - Shannon Muchmore, Chief Reporter

Property owners speak up about Campus Master Plan - Shannon Muchmore, Chief Reporter

Residents upset over Campus Master Plan - Shannon Muchmore, Chief Reporter

Campus future discussion open to students, faculty - Shannon Muchmore, Chief Reporter

OSU, city officials discuss future of the Strip - Shannon Muchmore, Chief Reporter

4 Comments

  1. David Demezas said,

    December 7, 2005 at 12:07 pm

    Today’s O’colly printed Darcy’s and others comments made at the recent regent’s meeting. See page 11 of the following: http://www.ocolly.com/todays_pdf/newspaper.pdf

    PS - the O’colly has had numerous editorials/stories that are interesting reading.

  2. Lee Agnew said,

    December 9, 2005 at 10:50 am

    Did somebody archive that file from 12/7, and could the page be copied-and-pasted on the site someplace? The URL above links to “today’s” paper evidently… in this case, 12/9.

  3. David Demezas said,

    December 12, 2005 at 12:28 pm

    Currently you may find the “advertisement” titled “Let’s Do the Right Thing” at the following URL:

    http://www.ocolly.com/rightthing.pdf

    Again this ad provides the text of Bob Darcy, Chair of General Faculty, Hank Welliver, SAC Chair, Kara Cook, SGA Senate Chair, Elise Vega, SGA Executive, Wendy James, GPSGA Executive, and Tom Phillips, Vice Chair of General Faculty, presentations to the recent regent’s meeting held in Langston

  4. Leonard G. Herron III said,

    December 12, 2005 at 5:40 pm

    Right-on to the Sustainable Development folks, I have spent the last twenty-eight years of my life working in Councils of Governments in three states doing planning and economic and community development work, the last twenty-two in Enid. I spent the first twenty-four years of my life in a neighborhood north of OSU now slatted to be demolished. As a OSU Geography student I remember working with the City of Stillwater on bicycle route planning, park planning, conducting stratified random samples of Stillwater and mapping the results. I find it hard to believe that the OSU administration hasn’t taken advantage of the vast resources of the University to develop a workable plan for OSU that includes adequate input for Stillwater and the State of Oklahoma. After all isn’t OSU “the University of Oklahoma.” The way this proposed new Master Plan has been developed and sprung on the Greater OSU and Stillwater community has caused nothing but mistrust, distain, and division.

    OSU needs to totally backup and start all over. If they are looking even long range at property now off campus they need to assist with development of neighborhood associations to work with them along with the City of Stillwater. They need to find out for sure how much is rental, commercial, elderly property owners, etc. What forced relocation will do to some of these people and what is equitable not just currently legal. Not giving opportunity for citizen input and trampling upon people is not the way to build the broad based support that will be needed to reach a sustainable vision for OSU or Stillwater. Having $30 million is short $10 million if it is $40 million and this really isn’t equitable if one looks at in terms of replacement costs for elderly homeowners or retirement income property for others and people losing there jobs and businesses. If it takes another $40 million to develop the athletic village, then doesn’t that cost OSU at least another $50 million to get the $30 million. Something is very wrong with the current picture.

    Leonard G. Herron III Class of 1975.

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O’Collegian Opinion

December 1st, 2005 at 3:28 pm (Newspapers/Media/Regents, O'Collegian)

Students should voice opinions today - The Daily O’Collegian Editorial Board

The debate goes on - The Daily O’Collegian Editorial Board

The chance to make a difference - The Daily O’Collegian Editorial Board

Students should speak out on campus future - The Daily O’Collegian Editorial Board

Strip’s future up in air - The Daily O’Collegian Editorial Board

Hope for unity on master plan - The Daily O’Collegian Editorial Board

Athletic village will improve status, recruitment - Matt Gardner, Undeclared Sophomore

1 Comment

  1. Marion Agnew said,

    December 1, 2005 at 4:16 pm

    The O’Colly Editorial Board said: “Throughout the current Campus Master Plan process, there have been countless opportunities for students, faculty and the Stillwater community to voice concerns over the future direction of the campus.”

    When were these countless opportunities? How were they publicized? The dates and times of these “public” meetings are still a mystery to me.

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