SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY New building, ballpark to open

The university posted its first enrollment increase in 10 years this year.
By MARY GRZEBIENIAK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- A new physical therapy building is set to open for classes this fall and a new baseball-softball park is expected to be ready for spring 2002 at Slippery Rock University.
President G. Warren Smith said the physical therapy building is on schedule and classes are being scheduled for the fall term.
Located next to Vincent Science Hall on the lower part of campus, the state-of-the-art teaching and research facility will feature a motion analysis laboratory.
The baseball and softball stadium complex will be located on the lower campus adjacent to the recreation center. It will be known as Critchfield Park, after Dr. Jack Critchfield, a past college president and retired Florida business leader who earlier this year donated $500,000 toward the project. It was the largest alumni gift ever given to SRU.
Critchfield, a 1955 SRU graduate, played baseball here and served as assistant chancellor at the University of Pittsburgh where he earned his doctorate. He served 10 years as president of Rollins College in Florida and later became president of Winter Park Telephone Co. in that state. He later served as chairman of the board of Florida Progress Corp., a St. Petersburg, Fla., electricity supplier.
A Florida resident, he is active in community work and helped bring the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to Tampa.
Smith also said the university has pledged a $1.3 million match to be provided through philanthropic sources for construction of a new science and technology center. The building is included in the state university system's capital budget request for the next three years.
Enrollment: In other business Friday, Smith told the university board of trustees that paid deposits for next fall are up nearly 100 students over this time last year.
SRU enrollment stands at 6,952. This year, the university posted its first enrollment increase in 10 years.
He also reported that a lifelong learning program launched this spring has been more successful than anticipated. Organizers of the program, which provides learning experiences for retirees and mature adults, had expected 20 to 40 to register for the 10 initial classes. They instead attracted 97.
He also reported that the university has received a positive report after a visit earlier this month from the middle states accreditation team, which was on campus for its 10-year evaluation.
Raising money: The capital campaign, which has a fundraising goal of $11 million over the next five years, now has 60 percent of the total committed, he reported. The money raised will be used for scholarships, an honors college, campus improvements, international initiatives and community projects.
The Slippery Rock University Foundation -- which is SRU's fundraising arm -- has pledged $400,000 toward revitalization of Slippery Rock Borough's downtown business district. No university money is involved.
Smith also reported that Gov. Tom Ridge has cut a half-percent from the 4.5 percent increase asked by the Board of Governor's for next year's funding. The request is now before the state legislature.