The Athletics Department will have $781,000 to construct a field hockey facility after the team was displaced because of turf replacement at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the money today in a special conference-call meeting focusing on the issue.

Of the money allotted for the field, $296,000 is from previously approved money for the replacement of the Kelly/Shorts Stadium turf and $485,000 is being loaned to the athletics department from the capital projects reserve fund. The loaned money must be paid back during the next five years.

"These are the best possible solutions we could come up with for the worst position the university has ever been in," University President Michael Rao said.

CMU has received two bids from turf companies. One bid, from FieldTurf -- the same company that is replacing the football field turf -- is $751,000. The other bid, from Pro Grass, is about $450,000. Rao said Athletics Director Herb Deromedi is reluctant to hire Pro Grass.

"He is concerned because he is not as familiar with it," Rao said.

CMU is paying FieldTurf $639,000 to replace the turf in Kelly/Shorts. Pro Grass' product is not certified by the International Hockey Federation which determines if a field is acceptable for international championships and competitions. Thomas Trionfi, purchasing director, said CMU is waiting for testing on Pro Grass turf to determine if it is certifiable, and he also is negotiating with each company to get the priced lowered.

Trionfi said Deromedi and Field Hockey coach Cristy Freese "believe it is a necessary certification."

"By Tuesday we should have a decision on the proposals we have in front of us," Trionfi said.

At the time of the meeting athletics officials could not say how they planned to pay back the loan from the capital projects reserve fund.

"I'm going to be honest with you," said Derrick Van der Merwe, associate athletics director. "I cannot answer that question."

Deromedi could not be reached for comment.

Rao, however, did say there is no connection with the loaned money and the proposed athletics fee, which would charge incoming freshman $300 and transfer students $200 if approved.

"This simply would have to be money the department would have to come up with given its resources," he said during the meeting and later added, "it's not as if they won't be able to survive."

Turf in Kelly/Shorts was replaced because old turf was deemed unsafe for players. The new turf being installed in the stadium does not meet NCAA regulations for field hockey. For months the future of the team and where it would play has been in limbo.

"I'm pleased that the board and the president took our situation seriously, and have done something about it," Freese said.

The construction of the new field is expected to take 9 to 10 weeks.If the bid process goes well and weather permits, officials said they hope to be finished a week before the first game, September 24. George Ross, vice president of finance and administration services, said construction could begin next week.

Still, there is some doubt.

"We may have to negotiate with Michigan State to do the game down there," Rao said.

While the decision was approved in just under an hour at the board meeting, much skepticism was expressed from both the trustees and Rao.

"I'm really concerned about the university," said Trustee Jerry Campbell. "This is a non-academic area and we are cutting so much from academics."

Rao said a decision was not made in the April's board meeting because he did not want to spend so much money during a time of cutting jobs and academic programs.

"It's time for athletics to take a quantum leap at CMU," Rao said.