Trustees extend summer camp lease

IU President Adam Herbert announced Thursday he would create a task force to look into the future of Camp Brosius, a summer camp managed by the IU Alumni Association.\nThe IUAA and the IU Board of Trustees agreed to the one-year lease proposed by the IUAA that extends through Oct. 2004 and are also discussing turning Camp Brosius over to IU-Purdue University Indianapolis' School of Physical Education and Tourism Management due to financial and staffing issues which have caused IUAA to cut its involvement with the camp.\n"Without contributions from campers and friends, the camp would have operated with a negative cash flow six of the past seven years," IUAA President Ken Beckley said. \nThe IUAA also absorbed salaries and benefits of $51,000 in the last year for the portion of IUAA permanent staff involved in the camp's operation.\nAnnually, about 900 people attend Camp Brosius, located at Lake Elkhart in Wisconsin, during its eight one-week sessions. The IUAA has operated the facility since 1974. \nBeckley said he feared many would be upset for fear the camp would no longer continue what Beckley called "wonderful family camping opportunities for parents, children, grandparents...for decades."\nThe IUAA's Board of Managers decided earlier this year that it would not seek renewal of its lease to manage the camp when the lease expires Oct. 31, 2003. They decided to extend its management until 2004 to keep the camp afloat during the transition to a new manager. \nBeckley sent an e-mail to IUAA staff members early Thursday afternoon and said no action was taken by the trustees this summer and he feared the camp would cease to exist in 2004 if the IUAA didn't step in.\nAnother reason IUAA discontinued its involvement was a recent inspection of the camp that revealed several hundred thousand dollars of needed repairs and improvements. Beckley said IUAA feels the costs should be the University's responsibility because it owns the property.\nDuring Spring 2002, Beckley met with Nick Kellum, Dean of the School of Physical Education and Tourism Management at IUPUI, about that school taking over the Brosius' operation if the trustees would approve of the plan. Beckley said Kellum's interest in the project remains. \nThe IUAA proposal did have stipulations including 2004 fee increases and a one-month window in which representatives from the IUAA, the trustees, University administration, and the IU School of Physical Education and Tourism Management must develop a transition plan. Beckley also recommended Herbert appoint a task force to look into the future of Camp Brosius.\nThe President's Office will create the task force to conduct a comprehensive study of all aspects of the camp including operating costs, staffing, capital needs, revenue and other considerations according to a statement released by IU spokeswoman Jane Jankowski.\nThe future of the camp still seems unclear, but answers may be available in the near future.\n"I don't know if it would be better to keep the camp or sell it, but we should study it," said trustee Peter Obremskey.\n-- Contact staff writer Brandon Morley at bmorley@indiana.edu.