A group of speakers opposed to the proposed renovations to Michigan Stadium dominated the public comments portion of the monthly University Board of Regents meeting Friday.

The speakers are upset about the plan to include enclosed seating, or skyboxes, in the stadium's renovation designs.

The regents approved the plans by a 5-3 vote during this past May's meeting.

The renovations will widen the stadium's aisles and seats, add restrooms and improve access for the disabled.

The plan will boost the big house's overall capacity to 108,251, adding nearly 1,000 seats. This includes 83 enclosed suites, 3,180 club seats and 650 chair-back seats.

The regents did not vote on any matter concerning the renovation plans on Friday.

Both Athletic Director Bill Martin and University President Mary Sue Coleman support the proposal.

Martin said he hopes to present the regents with schematic design plans for approval this fall.

Plans will be made available to the public at this time, Coleman said.

She said the University will also host a public comment period to hear concerns.

The Board's comment policy states no more than six people may speak on the same topic.

To comply with this policy, other speakers also addressed the stadium during their allotted time under different subject headings.

University alum Douglas Kelley found a loophole by discussing the stadium in his comments, titled, "Teaching Jefferson Democratic Ideals by Institutional Example."

LSA freshman John Latus was the only student to address the board.

In his remarks, Latus said the skyboxes represented "a complete surrender to commercialism."

Latus said he chose the University for its egalitarian environment but said separating fans with enclosed seating would undermine this stance.

After signing an online petition to the University against skyboxes, Latus joined Save The Big House - a coalition of alumni, faculty and students who oppose the inclusion of skyboxes in the renovations.

University alum Albert Meyer also worried that the $226 million project would not be fiscally sound if the University keeps its pledge not to serve alcohol in the enclosed seats.

"Michigan State University and Iowa University tried to go dry and failed," Meyer said.

At Friday's meeting, Coleman highlighted the renovation's webpage, which is currently accessible from the University's gateway site.

The page includes a podcast interview with Martin, during which he answers common questions about the renovations.

The renovations will be funded through private donations and revenue from the skyboxes. No University funds will be diverted, Martin said in the podcast.

The speakers also expressed anger that the project was added to the May agenda at the last minute after the comment registration deadline had passed.

Regent Olivia Maynard (D-Goodrich) told the Daily in May that the proposal was added to the agenda the day before the meeting because information regarding the renovations was leaked to Detroit Free Press columnist Michael Rosenberg.

This past June, Save the Big House founder John Pollack petitioned the University for information on the project through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The FOIA gives any person the right to request public documents and records, and as a public institution, the University is subject to these regulations.

In his letter, Pollack asked for "any and all documents drafted, developed, received, reviewed by or circulated among University of Michigan administrators and/or members of its Board of Regents in relation to potential renovations to Michigan Stadium."

Pollack limited the request to documents produced after the fall of 2000 - when Martin became athletic director.

The University's FOIA office estimated that completing the request will cost $9,884.

Peterson said the cost is high because of the time required for staff and administrators to locate and filter the documents.

Regent Laurence Deitch (D-Bingham Farms), who voted against the plans, along with Katherine White (D-Ann Arbor) and Rebecca McGowan (D-Ann Arbor), has proposed a skybox-free alternative plan that he estimates would cost between $55 and $60 million.

In his podcast, Martin said the skyboxes are necessary to make the project financially sound.

"All of the improvements we want to make to the bowl itself, we do not see that they are possible without building the enclosed seating," he said.

Martin said the renovations will benefit all fans.

"The hole that Yost dug is 79 years old today and in need of an awful lot of improvements," he said in the podcast.

No price has been determined for the enclosed suites.

The University has not formally solicited requests, but about 50 fans - mostly alumni - have already requested suites.