Students and locals alike attended a presentation of the 2008 NBA Championship trophy to the public in what was a two-stop road trip to Maine. Earlier in the day, the trophy was on display in Portland before being transported to Orono.

Accompanying the Larry O’ Brien trophy were members of the Celtics Dancers, the team mascot “Lucky,” and Celtics legend Jo Jo White. White, a two-time NBA champion as a player and 1976 NBA Finals MVP, has had his number 10 retired by the Celtics. Also a member of the 1968 United States gold medal Olympic basketball team, White posed for pictures with fans for nearly two hours. His demeanor, expressing class and sincere warmth, was much appreciated and provided a memorable experience for all in attendance.

Celtics dancers were on hand at the event to sign photos and pose with fans who had been waiting in line, some for up to two or three hours. Extremely personable and gracious was Celtics team mascot Lucky. Dressed for the part, Lucky posed with Jo Jo White while fan after fan shook hands with the two team representatives, placed a hand on the championship trophy and smiled for the camera.

“It’s awesome. It’s absolutely awesome,” Lucky said. When asked about the chance for students at the University of Maine to experience this first hand, he went on to say, “It gives the fans a chance to hold up the hardware, just like KG did.”

The Celtics were coming off the 2006-2007 NBA season in which they had the second worst record in the league and only mustered an abysmal .293 winning percentage. The Celtics acquired Ray Allen in a trade with Seattle and Kevin Garnett from Minnesota, both during the offseason. Boston also strengthened its bench with the offseason additions of James Posey and Eddie House, both integral parts to their championship success. With these dynamic pieces put into place around the leadership of team Captain Paul Pierce, the Celtics earned their seventeenth championship in franchise history.

Every week on his ESPN radio show, Scott Van Pelt runs a segment called “Winners.” In the piece he eschews conventional wisdom, picking against the most popular college football lines in Vegas. This week, the laughable lines his system coerced him into taking included: unranked Oregon State over No. 1 USC, unranked Ole Miss over No. 4 Florida and unranked Navy over No. 16 Wake Forest.

Now, with the college football weekend in the rear view mirror, Van Pelt is 3-0 and likely wishing he had put his money where his mouth was and whipped his “just for kicks” picks into a parlay. Had he done so, he likely would have been sitting on a year’s salary, as everyone without a time-traveling delorian and a sports almanac from 2015 was completely blindsided by one of the wackiest sports weekends.

Sadly, the unlucky teams that fell – including a less disastrous loss by No. 3 Georgia to No. 8 Alabama – now have but a fleeting chance at competing in the only game in college football that really matters – the BCS national championship game. The aftermath of this weekend will linger for the remainder of the season. With many preseason favorites having already sealed their tickets to the irrelevant bowl, complaints about the BCS system, with renewed validity, may be the only noise that will drown out the grumblings of sports fans who lost their fortune – or their $5 – on the “stone cold lock” picks of the week.

The BCS is not going anywhere soon, but as the mighty Big Brown, the mighty Patriots and now the mighty Trojans, Gators, and Bulldogs fall, it is clear more than ever that there is no such thing as a sure thing.

Hope springs for hopeless Lions

On Sept. 22, 2008, thousands of Lions fans were finally given a reason to celebrate. Matt Millen, the object of their contempt, was finally gone. His tenure in Detroit was marred at first by fan discontent, and increasingly, outright backlash as the reality of his enduring incompetence became clear. In his eight years with the organization, he did as good a job as possible in a league designed to create a parody to run the franchise into the ground. He led the team to an atrocious 30-84 record, drafted 62 largely useless players – 30 are already out of the league and only two are Pro Bowlers – and turned over coaching staffs only slightly slower than the Atlanta falcons who do so like its going out of style. What Millen leaves to his successor beyond Pro Bowl-caliber wide receivers Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson is hard to qualify. The team has been dejected for so long now, that an overhaul not only of personnel, but also of attitude must be a part of the rebuilding process. Certainly the replacement of Millen with a savvy GM has the capacity to one day change their fortunes – consider the impact Theo Epstein has had on the Red Sox – but for now, its only a step. Lions fans will just have to be patient and hope that what is a small step out the door for Millen will be a giant leap forward for the organization.

These are not the 2007 Mets

Draw all the parallels you want: Weak bullpen, lack of clutch hitting, struggles in September and similar if not exactly the same uniforms … but these Mets are not your 2007 Mets, and there is one reason why – Johan Santana. The man has cajones. He has not given up more than three runs in a game since July 17, with the team going 12-3 in his starts over that span including a gutsy complete game shutout of the Florida Marlins on three days rest on Saturday.

The win forced a deadlock atop the NL wild card race with one game left in the regular season, prompting Mets Manager Jerry Manuel to issue this gem: “Wow, wow, wow, wow. I think if I had to describe that one, I would say that was gangsta. That was real gangsta.” Yes, it was Jerry.

One can only assume that “gangsta” in this context is referring to definition four: “of or pertaining to being the best pitcher in the National League, and/or pitching the best game of your life in the biggest game of your season.” I’m paraphrasing of course, but I digress. Johan Santana’s role as stopper gives these Mets exactly what those Mets – the 2007 Mets – needed. Unfortunately, all Santana can be is the stopper, somebody else needs to be the starter for the Mets’ final and decisive game of the season.

For the first 46 minutes on Saturday night, the University of Maine football team had done just that against the top-ranked Dukes of James Madison University.

With 13:23 to go in the fourth quarter, the Black Bears had just scored on a long touchdown run to tie the game and recover the ensuing onside kick-the second of the game.

A late flag for kicking catch interference on the onside kick gave James Madison the ball at the UMaine 30-yard line. More importantly, the momentum was seized from the underdog Black Bears.

The Dukes rode the legs of senior quarterback Rodney Landers, and sophomore tailback Griff Yancey scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns after the onside kick attempt to prevail over UMaine 24-10 amidst pouring rain at Alfond Stadium.

With the loss, the Black Bears drop to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the Colonial Athletic Association. James Madison improves to 4-1 on the season and 2-0 in the conference.

“It was a tough loss [for] the second week in a row,” UMaine Coach Jack Cosgrove said. “They don’t get much tougher. We put a lot into it and those guys put a lot into it. We’re not here for nice tries. I’ve been here 16 years and it’s hard looking at them in the locker room to keep a level of hope in their eyes.”

Following a 35-yard touchdown run by redshirt freshman half back Derek Session with 13:23 to go in the game, the Black Bears attempted to catch James Madison off guard for the second time with the onside attempt. In the first quarter, freshman kicker Jordan Waxman kicked a 10-yard bunt, and the Black Bears recovered it.

Waxman attempted another onside kick toward the UMaine sideline and freshman cornerback Norman Smith tipped it before a Black Bear player recovered it. With the ball and all the momentum, UMaine was poised to pull off the upset.

The late flag for kicking catch interference was thrown and James Madison was given the ball deep in UMaine territory.

“You can’t afford to be conservative in football games,” Cosgrove said. “You have to take shots, take chances.”

“I’m hurt that I took a chance in a 10-10 game and it didn’t work out for us,” he added. “They got the call right. I was hoping they missed it, but they made the right call.”

James Madison proceeded to drive 35 yards on three plays, capped off by a 12-yard touchdown run by Yancey to make it 17-10.

UMaine got the ball back and started its drive with good field position at their own 40. The Black Bears failed to convert a third-and-one when backup quarterback Michael Brusko was stuffed for a loss of one.

“We had a third-and-one that we didn’t get,” Cosgrove said. “We did the same thing at Richmond last week, and that’s upsetting.”

After a Kash Kiefer punt pinned the Dukes inside their 20-yard line, the No. 1 team in the nation showed why they are ranked so high.

Led by Landers, the two-time reigning CAA Offensive Player of the Week, the Dukes marched down the field. They ran the ball on every play. After 11 plays, 85 yards and 6:47, Yancey rushed for his second touchdown from 30 yards to put the game away. The score made it 24-10.

“The drive there at the end was a championship drive,” said James Madison Coach Mickey Matthews. “Eighty five yards on 11 plays. We had to run it and they knew we had to run it but couldn’t stop it.”

In the first half, UMaine held the rushing attack of James Madison at bay, without giving up the big play. They held them to 105 yards on the ground in the first half before giving up 214 in the second half.

“They’re [UMaine] a very solid ballclub,” Landers said. “The defensive front, they’re very physical, in your face the whole game, and they were getting stops.”

Despite the UMaine defense holding the Dukes at bay, both sides of the ball for the Black Bears failed to capitalize on mistakes.

UMaine dropped two interceptions and a pass in the endzone, failed to convert a fourth down deep in James Madison territory and didn’t take advantage of a fumble recovery by junior linebacker Mark Masterson at the beginning of the second half.

“You can look back at it after the game and look at that, but you just tell the guys to get back out there when it happens,” said senior safety Lamir Whetstone, who had eight tackles on the night.

“It just comes down to execution, and we didn’t execute,” sophomore quarterback Adam Farkes said.

Landers, who ran for 156 yards on 27 carries and scored the first touchdown of the game in the third quarter, led the James Madison offense. He also added 108 yards through the air on seven-for-13 passing.

“You have to figure out a way with him in terms of producing the damage he can do, and we did for a while,” Cosgrove said. “I mean, what is he, 235 [pounds]? He’s like a tailback, a big tailback, playing quarterback.”

The Dukes defense constantly put pressure on Farkes, forcing him out of the pocket on many occasions and into some errant throws. They forced three interceptions and sacked Farkes four times.

UMaine freshman halfback Jared Turcotte led the offense, stepping in for the injured Jhamal Fluellen to rush for 82 yards on 11 carries – most of the yards coming after the initial contact.

“He was able to play real physical and brought his game to another notch,” Farkes said of Turcotte. “He stepped up and made a lot of big plays. We were able to ride him a lot.”

Senior defensive end Jovan Belcher had a game-high 13 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss.

The Black Bears were not only without leading rusher, Fluellen, but top wide receiver Landis Williams and starting safety Brandon McLaughlin.

“We’ve had a real rash of unfortunate injuries, but the game brings those around,” Cosgrove said.

UMaine has a bye this coming week before resuming CAA play when they head to nationally-ranked Delaware on Oct. 11. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

With the win, the Black Bears improved to 3-4-1 on the season, while Bryant dropped to 1-7-1.

The first half got underway without many shots on goal but UMaine struck in impressive fashion at the 23:24 mark. The Black Bears were awarded a direct kick from about 30 yards out. Junior Nikola Bogdanovic struck the ball well and rattled it off the far post and into the net, giving UMaine a 1-0 lead.

With 10 minutes left in the half, the Black Bears had several good chances.

Sophomore Jake Ostrov fired a shot that curled just over the crossbar, and on the ensuing corner kick, it took a goal-line save by a Bryant defender to keep the ball out of the net. UMaine entered halftime with the 1-0 advantage.

Early in the second half, the Black Bears added to their lead. Junior Phil Reed had a breakaway opportunity that brought the Bryant goalkeeper out charging. The two collided, and the ball squirted back to freshman Ross Seagram, who lobbed the ball into the open net.

Two minutes later there was a scary moment for UMaine. Freshman Justin Facer went up for a header and collided heads with a Bryant midfielder, opening a cut near his ear. He was tended to by UMaine medical officials and appeared to be all right.

UMaine kept its momentum rolling with 18 minutes left. Bogdanovic fed senior Captain Dimitri Anastasiou a nice overhead pass, and Anastasiou was able to put the ball beneath the keeper’s outstretched arms. It crossed the goal line before a defender could save it, and the lead was 3-0.

The Black Bears were able to put one more away in the final seconds. Seagram took a pass from fellow freshman Ethan Lincoln and buried it into the corner of the net to complete the scoring, his second goal on the day.

UMaine junior keeper Nemanja Kostic had a great day in net, registering his second consecutive shutout. The Black Bears did a good job controlling the pace of the game and maintaining possession. They outshot Bryant 19-6 for the game, and scored four goals for the first time since 2005.

The Black Bears were scheduled to take on Harvard University on Sunday, but the game was postponed until Nov. 5 due to predicted rain. Their next game is Saturday, when they’ll host UMBC in their first conference battle.

Voters cannot be expected to make the best choice based solely on sound bites. We need to hear about more than wanting to change foreign policy or reduce taxes. How are our candidates going to do all of this? When presented with such issues as the financial recovery plan, the candidates tell us we need to know and do certain things, but they leave it up to the public to figure it out.

We can’t expect to avoid partisanship if our candidates don’t give us the information we need. Without the proper information, it is likely people will be voting for their party, whether or not it is the right choice on Election Day. If people do not know where the candidates stand, they might vote based only on party loyalties.

Media outlets try to help the people stay as informed as possible. CNN provides live fact checking online during the debates. This allows people to at least know which candidates are best informed on the issues, even when it’s not so clear what they’re going to do about anything.

“Since this is a new chapter in Maine established last year, Fulbright’s Senator Washington gave some funds to the events all over the state of Maine,” said Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, a nutrition professor. “I am a founding member of the board, so I decided to set up events here at the University of Maine for showcasing and facing environmental challenges.”

The ultimate purpose of the Environmental Challenges event was to promote understanding among nations, prevent wars and promote peace. In order to arouse student awareness, Zacas said education shouldn’t be left only to science but should integrate the arts.

University professors and students presented four performances in various art forms. The event began with a music piece titled “All Crows are Equally Black” by music professor Beth Weimann on clarinet and music professor Anatole Wieck on viola.

Other performances included “A Child Said,” sung by Nancy Ogle, professor of music and voice. English professor Kathleen Ellis read a poem titled “Narrow River to the North Woods.” She was accompanied by Shannon Buccieri, a music education major, on flute.

The green message of protecting the environment was also displayed through body movements. A modern dance performance, “Space Invaders,” was performed by students and dance instructor Ann Ross.

“Arts are kind of a consciousness. So with dance, we can incorporate visual images, and we can create feelings that may be added to the music,” Ross said.

Lecture theories were also important for arousing Environmental awareness. Mechanical engineering Professor Mick Peterson said that people need to focus on saving energy in several ways.

“If anybody told you there is a single solution, they are lying,” Peterson said. For reducing heating energy use, he suggested using a heating pump for warmer days and a pellet stove for colder days.

Vice President of Administration and Finance Janet Waldron summarized the event by giving a presentation titled “Present and Future University of Maine Initiatives for Facing Environmental Challenges.” She said the university is facing the environmental challenge by expanding the campus.

“By extending the south mall, it provides the organizational principle for all of the buildings and the future development and the south end of campus,” she said.

During a time in which the integrity of the game has come in to question, Brown was always a source of pride for both the Patriots organization and their fans. He would do anything he was asked, take on any role if it was for the good of the team and, in turn, helped to make the team the powerhouse of talent that it is today. Professional football players work their entire lives to perfect their game at a specific position, refining it to an art; Brown eventually did this as well, in three different positions.

When it came down to the clutch with the game on the line, you would want Brown on the receiving end of the ball. During his career with the Patriots he had a team record 557 receptions and 6,366 career receiving yards. He could make play after play after play. But what about when your defense is being ravaged by injuries? While many coaches would sign someone new or play a less experienced player, Bill Belichick had a different idea: have Brown, one of their star receivers, play as a defensive back. It seemed insane, simply changing someone’s position at the drop of a hat, but it worked. The rest is history.

The dynasty of the Patriots has involved numerous seemingly miraculous plays such as Vinatieri’s field goal in the final moments of the “Snow Bowl” against Oakland in 2001. What might not be as well known was what led up to that iconic moment, a spectacular punt return by none other than Brown. He then went on to complete a 23-yard reception to set up the game-winning field goal for their Super Bowl XXVI win over the St. Louis Rams, as well as a catch in Super Bowl XXXVIII leading to the Pats second championship over the Carolina Panthers.

Of course, I could go on for days talking about all the things Brown has done for this once fledgling franchise. He spent 15 years as a member of the Patriots, longer than Robert Kraft has owned them, and lived all of the ups and downs that came with disappointment and rebuilding. No one deserves the championship rings that signify the greatness of the team more than the man who gave everything he had to his teammates and coaches. No one can ever say that Brown left anything on the field, and despite the recent controversy of Spygate, no one can ever say he didn’t deserve every Lombardi Trophy to which he led his team.

It’s sad for Patriot’s fans to see such an amazing and devoted player bow out, but I think, in this case, we can all respect his decision, admire his career and thank him for making being a Patriots fan so rewarding over the past few years. Brown has officially retired as a professional football player, but I think everyone can agree that he will always be a Patriot.

D.J. Caruso’s new film is an intense affair posing implications about the computer espionage age. It asks the question, with the high increase and sophistication of government surveillance in warfare and in our day-to-day lives, what happens if that surveillance becomes self-aware?

The computer orchestrating the events of the film is the reincarnation of Hal from “2001: A Space Odyssey.” In this case, the red, piercing eye of intelligence and oversight can delve into our lives through any computer. This doesn’t just mean via cell phones and convenience store cameras, but through satellites and your own personal computer.

Shia LeBeouf plays Jerry Shaw, who finds thousands of dollars in his checking account and an assortment of weapons, bombs and chemicals in his apartment. Soon he receives a mysterious phone call from a monotone woman, the voice of the Eagle Eye, giving him precise directions and observations about the world around him, even though no one else is there.

Soon the FBI – fronted by Billy Bob Thornton – is after Jerry as the computer guides him and a single mother named Rachel – Michelle Monaghan – through street lights, buildings and halfway across the U.S. to carry out a mission or face death, according to the unyielding Eagle Eye.

The communication between the voice behind the computer and the characters prompts tension and excitement. The viewer becomes engrossed in finding out how the Eagle Eye will maneuver the distressed characters away from danger at every turn. In one scene, the computer manipulates traffic lights and tells Jerry and Rachel the exact places to turn, to accelerate or to evade danger from police and FBI. In another situation, it triggers fire alarms in buildings to facilitate their escape.

The audience may become as exhausted from the action sequences as the characters. Development between Rachel and Jerry is sparse between the film’s jarring action segments, as they are too breathless and disoriented to make an authentic connection. Their relationship could use more attention, which would lead the audience to have a deeper emotional attachment for the characters. Instead, the viewer is likely to feel indifferent toward the protagonists’ fates.

There is little to no comedic insight in the film. The film is more serious and bleak than one would expect of a Shia LeBeouf film. His character is a subdued, depressed individual who may not hold favor with LeBeouf fans. He has few memorable moments, but they’re quickly forgotten when the credits roll.

Audiences may feel the overtones from the film are derivative from “Enemy of the State,” “Live Free or Die Hard” or even “The Matrix.” Even so, the implications and message the film tries to convey may convince viewers to think twice to who is listening, human or not.

Grade: B-

The night centered on the performances of diverse local acts. The show, running close to five hours, featured Taco Apocalypse, Clinic Bomb, Megatime, Anal Jesus and a surprise set from Kicking Dicks. Fans filled the majority of space in the small venue, coming and going throughout the night, but maintaining a high energy level. Circle pits, awkward versions of the twist and even plastic sword fights abounded in the audience for each set.

The Worker Center has experienced growing success by transforming a simple meeting place for the local labor movement into a venue for alternative acts. The Center has become a hub for the countercultural community.

Martin Chartrand, co-founder of the Worker Center, said, “The punk scene definitely existed beforehand . We just opened [the Worker Center] up to shows at the right time for the scene to continue.”

The activist side of the Worker Center remained prominent during the show. Between sets, Chartrand spoke to the audience about the issues the Worker Center is concerned with and offered ways to get involved. Literature on union laws and recent legislation was also available, and volunteers ran tables containing information on activist organizations.

The success of the eastern Maine punk scene relies upon more than passionate fans and a solid venue; at the heart of the scene is the music itself. The performances on Friday were undeniably punk – dirty, sometimes unrehearsed or unfinished, yet oozing emotion and intensity. Punk traditionally relies on its simplistic sound and haphazard style as a way of breaking away from the norm.

Every band that played had something to offer, like the brutality of the bearded front man from Anal Jesus or the energy from the mohawked guitarist of Kicking Dicks. Taco Apocalypse’s performance featured everything from catchy guitar riffs and lyrics about circumcision to a guitar breaking apart and being thrown on the floor.

Clinic Bomb’s co-ed dual vocalist style gave them an exciting flair as they cursed the American government with choruses such as “Uninsured, underpaid / How many working class died today?” echoing the Worker Center’s ideals. Megatime, who commuted from Portland, blew the crowd away with old-school punk and blues vibes, sounding like a mix of The Clash and AC/DC.

Shane Garland, member of both Taco Apocalypse and Clinic Bomb, also commented on the Center, saying, “It’s really a central meeting point that brings people together.” Garland referred to himself not as an artist but simply a “rock and roll enthusiast.”

Chartrand’s message with the Worker Center is simple: “The basic premise of the Worker Center is about people working collectively to accomplish things. Shows like this are a perfect example of that.”

With such innovative musical acts, diehard fans and a cooperative venue, the Maine punk scene has all the right ingredients to thrive. Perhaps most inspiring about the show was the fact that ordinary young people worked hard to create a place for themselves.

“People involved with punk music have this reputation for breaking stuff,” Garland said. “We’re all really nice kids.”

Because of the rising cost of gas and the increasingly fragile economy, the margin between UMaine’s cost per gallon and what the everyday Mainer pays is shrinking.

“We do enjoy some purchasing power. We buy in bulk, we have a contract with C.N. Brown to buy gasoline and diesel . it ends up being less than what you would buy gasoline for out in the world,” said Joseph Szelesta, budget analyst for Facilities Management. “It is obviously a boat-load less than what the campus community would buy someplace else.”

Between the end of the 2007 and 2008 fiscal years, $176,983 worth of gas and diesel had been used by Facilities Managment vehicles through the campus pumps.

Other non-Facilities Management university vehicles consumed $43,193 of the university’s supply. During the time, 55,485 gallons of gas and diesel were consumed on campus by Facilities Management vehicles, making the average cost of gas $3.03 and the average cost of diesel $3.43 for Facilities Management.

All other vehicle drivers buying with Unrestricted Education and General Funding (E&G), on campus, were charged an average of $3.02 for gas and an average of $3.39 for diesel. E&G is the university’s annual operating state allocation, according to Szelesta.

“There is a disparity there, and that has to do a lot with timing: When are you’re buying the fuel. This is an average across the entire year,” Szelesta said.

The disparity also has to do with volume.

“We might have bought 5,000 gallons at $3 or 3,000 gallons at $3.50, but if you weigh that average . it is going to be closer to the lower price rather than closer to the higher price because of the volume that you purchased at the lower price. So, it is a weighted average over a year,” said Stewart Harvey, associate executive director of Facilities Management maintenance and services.

The national average prices of gasoline and diesel per gallon for 2008 is expected to be $3.61 and $4.09 by the end of the year, respectively, according to the Energy Information Administration, a statistical agency of the Department of Energy.

That leaves a 59-cent margin between the national gas average and the university’s E&G gas price.

“We’re passing on those savings to the campus,” Szelesta said.

That margin used to be bigger.

“Just a couple of years ago, that differential between what we were getting for gas on our contract and what was paying out on the pump was actually even wider. Back in 2005, we were buying gas at something close to 85 cents, where the rest of the world was paying a $1.50,” Szelesta said. “With the crunch going on these days, it is tougher and tougher to get that favorable break. There’s a formula behind it though, that I’m really not privy to, but my understanding is that it is market plus a markup rate that’s determined by the oil companies. But, because we are state, we get favorable breaks because we don’t have to pay state tax – stuff like that.”

The money the university spends on gas from its on-campus pumps does not include gas bought by other departments off campus. For varying reasons, other departments sometimes choose to fill up their vehicles at public gas stations, rather than at the university garage, thereby providing additional – possibly unnecessary cost – to the university.

The total cost of gas billed to the university at the end of the 2008 fiscal year, including gas bought off campus, was $186,272.89 for Facilities Management vehicles and $62,616.51 for other vehicle drivers paying with E&G money.

That means $28,712 of the total gas budget was spent off campus.

“Say someone has their vehicle that’s owned by E&G, and they go down to Augusta. Their tank runs dry down in Augusta, they fill up down in Augusta. So, there’s fuel costs outside of it [the university] as well,” Szelesta said. “We do get some savings, due to our contract, and we pass that on to the campus community, but it is not the entire picture of what the campus fuel cost is.”

Other campuses take advantage of the university’s cheaper gas.

“When it comes to fueling up, all the other campuses – could be Fort Kent, could be Augusta or whatever – within this area, they fuel up here,” said George “Bo” McLaughlin, the university garage supervisor.

UMaine Facilities Management operates 146 vehicles and takes care of the 50 in the motor pool, which is the campus car-rental service, similar to the no-longer employed Zipcar program, being run entirely by the university.

Of Facility Management’s 146 vehicles, 124 are more than five years old, 25 are more than 15 years old and 11 are past 20 years. Facility Management’s fleet includes snowplows, lawnmowers, vans and other vehicles. The maintenance costs for the fleet during the 2007 fiscal year were $289,580 and $307,127 at the end of 2008.

“Twenty-five of our vehicles in our facilities fleet are over 15 years old. In order to fix that, what we have done is we have recently instituted a capital plan for a grounds shop, which is basically trying to address that very thing: How do we get some of those older vehicles out of our fleet and replace them with new ones? The hope there is that if we do that, we can start reducing some of our maintenance expenses,” Szelesta said.

The grounds shop, which began last year, will help defray maintenance costs.

The selling and buying of a lot of the university’s vehicles goes on outside the Facility Management department – they only find out about it at the end of the year when they audit the entire campus to find out maintenance needs, registration data and what vehicles are in need of state inspection.

“We keep track of those vehicles that are bought and sold, but we only do that on an annual basis,” Harvey said.

It is unknown how many vehicles the university employs.