Committee to discuss IU camp

A task force to investigate IU Alumni Associations' Camp Brosius meets for the first time at 2:30 p.m. Friday in Bryan Hall. The 12-person committee, appointed by IU President Adam Herbert and headed by IU Budget Director Steve Keucher, was appointed by the president two weeks ago to make a recommendation about the fate of the summer camp.\nThe IUAA and the IU Board of Trustees agreed to the one-year lease proposed by the IUAA that extends through October 2004.\nCarl Zacher has managed the camp for the last five years and sits on the committee as a representative of the IUAA.\n"I think (the mission of the task force) is to determine the long-term viability of the camp," Zacher said. "How does it fit into the IU community, and how do we justify it."\nZacher said he considers it a privilege to help determine the fate of the 85-year-old camp run by the IUAA since 1974. According to a statement released by the IUAA, about 900 people attend Camp Brosius, located at Lake Elkhart in Wisconsin, annually during its eight one-week sessions. According to IUAA Web site, Camp Brosius is staffed primarily by IU students, alumni and IUAA professional staff. It offers programming for children through teenagers, as well as tournaments, trips and other leisure activities for adults.\nZacher said he has great faith in Keucher's leadership abilities since Keucher has already been in contact with all the committee members. Zacher said he feels everyone will come to Friday's meeting "on the same page."\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.\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 recently decided to extend its involvement until 2004 to keep the camp afloat during the transition to a new manager. \n-- Contact staff writer Brandon Morley at bmorley@indiana.edu.