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statenews.com | 6/19/14 | @thesnews
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Approval for Vet Med Dean pending By Casey Holland cholland@statenews.com The State News nn
After almost 30 years of working with the university, John Baker seems to be the heir apparent to the deanship of the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine. The decision is pending board approval at the Board of Trustees meeting on Friday. According to the board agenda, the promotion would include a salary raise to $250,000. Baker was asked to take the position by Provost June Youatt after the previous dean, Christopher Brown, stepped down. “There will be a lot of challenges — it’s a complex job,” he said. “I’m involved in training the veterinarians, interacting with undergraduate and graduate students and running two service units.” His other responsibilities will include looking over the college administration, working with budgets and handling external relations with alumni, pet owners and livestock owners. When Baker joined the faculty as an assistant professor in 1984, his responsibilities were limited to the animal clinics, teaching and research. From there he became a full professor and later, the associate dean for research and graduate studies within the college. After acting as the associate
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See DEANSHIP on page 2 u East Lansing
MSU’s network of steam tunnels are a vital but aging part of campus By Colleen Otte cotte@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn
As students trek to class during the seemingly endless winter months at MSU, they may experience a f leeting moment of relief as they pass over a small circle of salvation from the frigid cold. That circle is a grate that provides a glimpse into an underworld of warm, interlocking steam tunnels responsible for distributing heat to campus buildings. “Some of our steam tunnels are 100 years old, and we’ve also had cogeneration on this campus for 100 years,” said Lynda Boomer, energy and environment design administrator for Infrastructure Planning and Facilities. Director of Building Services Gus Gosselin said there are currently 12.3 miles of tunnel beneath campus, tended to by less than six workmen who maintain all underground utilities and walk the tunnels almost daily to check for and repair steam traps and
any other issues. A part of MSU’s campus many students are not aware of, the tunnels have their own storied history. Steam service The tunnels were constructed in order to produce central heating for campus, Boomer said. Prior to their implementation, MSU used wood and fireplaces in campus buildings, which caused a number of fires. “(The steam tunnels) are the primary source of heat for about 18 to 19 million square feet of campus,” she said. MSU project representative Andy Linebaugh said the steam is used for both heating the buildings’ domestic water for showers and laundry, and heating and cooling the buildings themselves.
The tunnels transport steam and electricity to almost every building
“Steam is generated through the process of producing electricity for the campus, through our boilers, and then through the power plant,” he said. “It’s sent all through the campus under pressure ... it’s used in the buildings and for heating the water and then ... as it cools it condenses, and that condensate is collected and pressurized and sent back to the power plant for reuse.” Linebaugh said the tunnels are safe to be in and only become problematic if they are not maintained well. “The pipe is made out of metal, so it will deteriorate over time — and that’s part of the reason they’re being redone,” he said. “The tunnels are often made out of concrete, and some of the older ones ... were actually made out of masonry. They’ve stayed there a long time, but everything does have a shelf life.” But because of the vital role the tunnels play in MSU’s infrastructure, their necessary maintenance can prove costly. See STEAM on page 2 u
Petition could remove law firm By Derek Gartee dgartee@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn
Photos by Corey Damocles/The State News
Eagle, Mich., resident Josh Simon welds steam pipes Tuesday in the steam tunnels in front of the Hannah Administration Building. MSU Infrastructure and Planning Facilities is working to replace the arch tunnels. The tunnels stretch more than 12.3 miles through campus as the primary source of heat for approximately 18 to 19 million square feet of campus, some dating back 100 years.
A citizen petition to the city of East Lansing could change how the city gets its legal advice. The petition, signed by at least 2,269 citizens, would remove City Council’s ability to hire a private law firm for the position of city attorney. The petition was filed by the East Lansing Citizens for a Public Servant City Attorney, co-chaired by Jeffery Hank, a U.S. congressional candidate and Phil Bellfy, a former MSU professor and state senate candidate in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. According to the East LanSee PETITION on page 2 u
more inside Campus cops
Summer fun
The end of construction
MSU research indicates security guards receive poor training
Upcoming weekend will see host of festivals, events
Volunteers beat rain to complete playground construction at Patriarche Park
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Campus+city, pg. 5
Sports+features, pg. 6 Corey Damocles/The State News