KUAC Antenna on Gruening Building Roof
(02-07)

At its regularly-scheduled meeting on July 25 the UAF Master Planning Committee considered a request from KUAC to locate a 4.5 meter satellite receiving antenna on the roof of the Gruening Building (memo of June 10, 2002 from Steve Titus, Director, DDC to MPC). KUAC reports that they have external funding for the antenna, but not for fiber optic connections that would enable them to place the antenna in the existing 'antenna farm' near Ballaine Parking Lot. Thus, they seek to place the dish on the top of Gruening Building, where several other similar dishes are currently located. The MPC had a number of general and technical questions about the request, and asked DDC to discuss the proposal further with KUAC.

After reviewing the proposal and new information provided by DDC, the MPC recommends against approval of the Gruening Building site for this purpose. The Committee's reasons for not recommending approval have to do with concerns about liability and safety on building roofs (codes require handrails and other modifications) and the belief that use of rooftops for antenna arrays should be avoided if at all possible for aesthetic reasons. The new Master Plan calls for making all campus facilities code-compliant (A3.2) and for developing a coordinated and uncluttered look to the campus built environment. Consolidating antennas in the existing 'antenna farm' seems a good use of that space and it avoids a proliferation of such antennas on buildings throughout campus.

The MPC greatly appreciates the contributions that KUAC makes to the campus community and the challenges of securing funding for new equipment and facilities. It encourages KUAC to seek out other funds for the necessary cabling to connect to a new dish within the existing antenna farm.

RELEVANT UAF CAMPUS MASTER PLAN GOALS AND ACTIONS:
Goals I, IV, V; Action statements A1, A2, A3, A4, A9, A22

cc: Tom McGrane, KUAC
     S. Titus, DDC
     K. Schedler, FS

University of Alaska Fairbanks
Tanana Valley Campus
PO Box 8040-UAF

Phone: +1 907 474 7920
Fax:    +1 907 474 6725
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