Karim Shamst-Basha holds a letter ha wrola to the
Birmingham News concerning
Ы*
brother In hraq.
Samford photojournalism professor
S Karim Shamsi-Basha’s older brother,
Maher, has been a resident of Bagh-
| dad, Iraq, for three years and has been
£ eyewitness to the American operation
is known as “Iraqi Freedom” for the
if past couple of months.
“He moved there to start a busi¬
ness." Shamsi-Basha said. “He can't
Samf
Crimson
Partly cloudy
81°F/60°F
By Frank McCormack
In a crowded and controversial meeting Monday night,
Homewood City Council voted 9-2 to condemn Samford-
owned land in the West Track of University Park across
from Lakeshore Drive. The council intends to develop the
land, directly bordering Somerby garden homes, into soccer
fields.
Homewood City Council first approached Samford in
March with an offer of $925,000 for the 18.5 acres of land.
Samford declined the offer.
"They asked us for a price and we have declined," Vice
President of Business Affairs Bill Mathews said. "It's not
like we're out there beating a drum saying, 'We don't want
to sell.' At a time when our endowment has taken a big hit,
we feel it incumbent to get the best deal we can."
Samford has requested proposals from various Birming¬
ham companies, Mathews said. Those proposals are due
back May 12. Because Samford declined the offer. Home-
wood City Council has voted to exercise eminent domain to
Campus
recreation
center on
the horizon
By Evin Smith
A new recreation center could be in
Samford’s future, and the administration
wants students to be a pari of the process.
“The administration will move on with
this decision to create a recreation center,
but we just want to make sure the students
have a voice," Andrew Patterson, vice pres¬
ident of the sophomore class and student
life chair, said.
A new Samford recreation facility may
include such things as climbing walls, in¬
door pool, elliptical glider, ping-pong and
pool tables, video games, a lounge, bigger
and better basketball courts and new free
weights.
The long-term goal is getting a recre¬
ation center built, but in the meantime a
short-term goal is possibly to update and
modify Bashinsky Fieldhouse. “We realize
students need something relatively quick.
Something is going to happen. It’s just a
matter of time," Patterson said.
The Student Government Association is
planning to submit a proposal to the admin¬
istration at the end of the semester.
This proposal would include three main
parts. It would present the administration
with information obtained from schools
that have similar centers, and the proposal
would submit research compiled from other
schools that are similar to Samford, like
Mercer and Furman. It would also commu¬
nicate to the administration what Samford
students wish to see in a recreation center.
The SGA recently compiled a survey
with 270 participants. Patterson said, “Out
of 270 people surveyed, only two said we
didn't need a recreation center.”
“The idea of a recreation center has been
around for a while, but there have been
several other building projects on campus
that have been more of a priority,” Vice
President and Dean of Students Richard
Franklin said. “We are serious about creat¬
ing a recreation center as soon as possible,
but funds must still be raised.”
The university is considering a capital
Please see RECREATION, pg. 2
force Samford to sell the land to Homewood.
"There's other land that is available, but it’s so expen¬
sive that the power of eminent domain can be exercised,"
Homewood Mayor Barry McCulley said.
Mathews said, “I think the key is that eminent domain is
a drastic remedy. I think various people in the city are un¬
happy that Samford didn't come to them'and say that we
want to work with them. The financial reality in the world
is that Samford has a responsibility to get the best value it
can from an asset."
Peggy Wininger, councilperson representing Ward 4 that
includes Lakeshore Drive, supported Samford’s decision to
refuse Homewood's offer.
“Samford has a right to make a profit,” she said. “This is
my ward. The people in Ward 4 have said, ‘we do not want
this.’”
Though the vote involves Samford’s land, it also affects
Lakeshore residents and families alike. Most Somerby resi¬
dents staunchly oppose the vote.
Please see LAND, pg. 2
Homewood City Council President Ginger Busby spoke
to many Homewood residents at the meeting Monday
about Samford property near Somerby retirement center.
The council voted to condemn the property 9-2.
Event brings fun, service to Marion
By David Henson
Marion residents Ravenn Jackson (left) and Aaliyah Evans race down an inflatable game. Inset
Freshman Sarah Milner paints Jermaine Smith's arm during Saturday's event
The semester-long events in
Perry County culminated this
weekend with an Omicron Delta
Kappa-sponsored event in Mari¬
on that brought praise from Gov.
Bob Riley in his speech to Sam¬
ford students on Monday.
"This is not only the genesis
of taking the Black Belt to a new
level,” Riley said of Samford’s
involvement in Perry County. “It
represents Alabama changing,
and changing for all the right
reasons.”
More than 100 students min¬
gled with residents of Marion in
the carnival atmosphere, com¬
plete with inflatable games, arts
and crafts and pick-up games of
basketball and softball. Some
groups left mid-day tc do vari¬
ous service projects in town.
"1 think I enjoyed myself
more than my daughter did,"
Marion resident Merline Mims
said. “You all need to do this
more often."
Chuck Sands, exercise sci¬
ence and sports medicine pro¬
fessor, brought students from a
class that has studied the rela¬
tionship between socioeconomic standing and health status. “I am
a firm believer in putting book knowledge into practice,” he said.
“You don’t get much more real world than spending a day helping
others in a part of Alabama you would normally never go to.”
Sands also said he could easily see the classroom benefits of
working in the Black Belt.
Earlier this semester, Student Ministries took a group of stu¬
dents for a short-term mission trip that began the nurturing rela¬
tionship that Saturday's event built upon.
"The next step is to establish a Perry County advisory council
made of students, faculty and staff to nurture and guide this
emerging desire to serve and leant in Perry County,” Director of
Student Ministries April Robinson said. “It’s not enough to arrive
in Perry County once a year, or even once a semester.”
Sands echoed Robinson’s analysis. “It is not done, and there is
a long way to go. But this was a great first step.”
Anyone interested in the Perry County council should contact
Robinson. _ _
drhenson @ samford. edu
With brother in Iraq, SU
professor conflicted over war
leave because he has so much invest¬
ed there.”
Though Maher’s clothing business,
Maher Shamsi-Basha Design, was do¬
ing well, recent events in Iraq have
left many in the Baghdad area some¬
what uncertain of their futures.
“Before 'the war, everyone was very
scared," Shamsi-Basha said. “Nobody
wants to be bombed, but they also
Please see BROTHER, pg. 2
By Maureen Simpson
“The lack of progress is
enough to make a grown man
(or woman) cry.”
— Matt Hawk, senior
Volume 87. Number
Samford Un
Ala. 35229
April 1 6. 2003
Homewood to condemn Samford land