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Show Wednesday, June 4,2008 weanesaay, june«t, zui — DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE www.dailyutahchronicle.com The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice Since 1890 vol. 111 \ N O J 6 9 J © 2 0 0 8 Crandall collapse not quake-caused and a professor of geology and geophysics at the U. "There certainly wasn't any time to get out of the U researchers have been insisting way." Pechmann said that when the first that the Crandall Canyon Mine collapse was not triggered by an earth- shocks arrived on the morning of quake, and now they have a study to Aug. 6, he and his colleagues knew the collapse couldn't be an earthprove it. The study, released Monday, de- quake. The 3.9 magnitude shocks the scribed the nature of the collapse, researchers discovered were from which debunks several misconcep- the mine and gave further proof to tions. The collapse was not caused their suspicions. A study completed by University by an earthquake, it did not last several minutes, and the original of California, Berkeley, confirmed shocks occurred 0.6 mile from that idea. Coal pillars supporting the where seismologists first placed mine's roof exploded and shattered, said Walter Arabasz, the U's directhem. Rescue teams were sent to search tor of seismology studies. The large for the six lost miners after the col- amounts of coal fragments filled the lapse, but mine officials recalled mine's open spaces. This caused the them after rescuers were injured roof of the mine to drop about a foot. The collapse filled an area 3,018 and killed during attempts. Families were concerned that the trapped feet long and 722 feet wide in no miners might have spent time trying more than a few seconds, according to the study. to escape. The misunderstanding that the However, the study indicated that the miners were killed within collapse lasted several minutes all seconds of the collapse last Au- started from a rumor, Pechmann said. gust. "People who looked at our web"I'm sure it was over before they knew what was going on," said Jim site and saw the shock lasted four Pechmann, lead author of the study minutes, (they thought) then the Michael McFall STAFF WRITER FILE PHOyO/Iht OciifVtahtfrofiKir Mark Hale, earthquake information specialist at the U seismograph center, points out seismic activity around the Crandal Canyon Mine collapse last August. A new report indicates that the mine collapse was not caused by an earthquake. collapse must have lasted four minutes," he said. "Any seismologist will tell you that's not true. The seismic waves can last for hours, even days." The researche's formed the study after months of gathering information about the collapse from temporary instruments, station data and accident reports. They also used a new technique known as double difference, which compares aftershock arrival times to determine where the original shock came from. The 53-page study was submitted Lumberjack Olympics to the Mine Safety and Health Administration and will be important to its investigation into the cause of the collapse, Arabasz said. It might also shed light on how to prevent future collapses, he said. The site used a method called retreat mining, in which pillars of coal are used to hold up the roof. When an area has been cleared, the pillars are removed and the roof is allowed to collapse in that zone. It is a risky method, and the collapse might have been prevented had it not been used, Pechmann said. Mine co-owner Robert Murvay, who insisted that the collapse was the result of an earthquake and could not be avoided, said he would not comment on the study. At the time, Murray said that no retreat' mining was going on in the miners' vicinity. Three other authors contributed to the study: Kris Pankow, research associate professor of geology and geophysics; Relu Burlacu, network manager for the U Seismograph Stations; and Michael McCarter, chairman of the U mining and engineering department. m.mcfall@ chronicle.utah.edu Young to get 5% raise Salary still lower than national average Jonathan Ng The size of the U, scope of university programs and other elements—such as being a research university—factor into U President Michael the salary increase. Young's salary will be inThe raise was considered in creased from $330,000 to January, two months before the $349,000, effective July i. budget for the Board of Regents The Utah State Board of Rewas approved. The meeting to gents met at Weber State Uniapprove salary increases ocversity on Friday and decided curs at every May-June board to increase the salary of colMICHAEL YOUNG meeting. lege and university presidents Young received a 5-percent increase last in Utah to increase market comparability. "(Our goal is to) treat our presidents year during a statewide 3.5- to 7-percent in; as fairly as we can and to try to keep their crease, Jenkins said. Despite the fact that Young is the highest salaries somewhat competitive with neighboring states," said Dave Buhler, interim paid university president in Utah, Young's commissioner of higher education. "The new salary will be lower than the peer av-i president of the institution is key to the erage of $4.15,000. "We're fortunate to have some great success." The salary increase also accounts for presidents," Buhler said. "Young is an outother factors, such as the increased cost of standing university president and one of the best out of the whole country." living. Employee salaries are top priority and Each president will receive a base salary increase of 3 percent and will receive up were fought for at the legislative process! to a 5 percent increase depending on other Buhler said. Faculty salary increases are hanfactors, such as the length of service and dled at the institutional level, but are part of the extent to which a president is meeting the budget request at the legislative level. Katie Smith, a sophomore in math and institutional and regent expectations, said Spencer Jenkins, spokesman for the Board See PRESIDENT Page 7 of Regents. STAFF WRITER PHOTO COURTESY HEATHER BARNUM Friday and Saturday at Thanksgiving Point top Timbersports athletes will compete in eight different events, this competition will mark the first time that the Timbersports national series has come to Utah. ors ore pages 4-5 NIH awards U $23 million £rant Lana Groves awarded to 14 academic health centers. The organization has devoted $533 million to the The National Institutes of award. Health has awarded the U a $23 James Kushner, the U's assomillion five-year grant to pro- ciate vice president for clinical mote research and further devel- research, submitted a grant apop a research center on campus. plication to the NIH in October. The center will focus on clin"The grant is designed to creical research and translational ate infrastructure needed for research—lab work that could research," Kushner said. "We quickly be put into clinical use need to accelerate the transfer but is still being worked on for of basic science discoveries to alternate purposes. the bedside. Out of the 130 mediThe U received the NIH's cal schools in the United States, Clinical and Translational we are one of 50 to 60 funded Science Award, which was for this work," Kushner said. "It ASST. NEWS EDITOR makes us one of a limited number of universities participating in a clinical and translational science research like Harvard and Yale." "(Kushner and U researchers) want to find a way to support other researchers who are doing both clinical and translational research," said Phil Sahm, a spokesman for the U." They also plan to develop health services and research programs in the community, Sahm said. l.groves@ chronicle.utah.edu . How does President Young's salary compare? Peer Current Proposed Eventual Institution Average Salary Increase Salary UofU usu wsu suu $331,812 $270,100 5% 5% $182,592 5% 3% 4% $181,125 Snow DSC CEU UVSC SLCC UCAT USHE<•> $145,000 $155,328 $137,713 $181,216 $184,748 $139,125 $200,610 3% 3% 5% 4% 3% 3% $348,403 $415,859 $283,605 $421,021 $191,722 $244,417 $186,559 $244417 $150,800 $170,630 $159,988 $188,918 $170,630 $141,844 $190,277 $215,093 $192,138 $143,299 $206,628 $185,189 $i45»568 $224,126 K '"This reflects Ihc base salary for the Commissioner position Source: Board of Regents U's Motiwala, Rev. Davis appointed to Board of Regents Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. selected former ASUU Vice President Basim Motiwala to be Utah's next student regent. "Basim is highly respected by his peers and the university," Huntsman said in a press release. "His outstanding leadership experience among students will be a great asset to the Board of Regents." The student regent, created by the Utah State Legislature in 1977, is a full voting member of the Utah State Board of Regents—the state's higher education policy committee. Motiwala, a senior in behavioral science and health, was one of three candidates whom the Utah Council of Student Body Presidents nominated in April. Motiwala said he plans to meet with student body presidents from all of Utah's public universities and colleges during the year to get a sense of what student issues need to be addressed. "I'm extremely excited to get started," Motiwala said. "I look forward to serving my fellow students throughout the state. My job is to effectively represent them...I've always been the type who V goes all out in whatever I'm involved in." Huntsman also appointed U alumnus Rev. France Davis to the board. Davis has been the full-time pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Salt Lake City for 30 See REGENTS Page 7 . yOfc& BASIM MOTIWALA |