2008 Woodie Awards
Student Government Requested Revisions for the Parking Proposal
On April 2, the SGA requested that administration make several revisions to the proposed parking model before taking further action on the proposed rates, set to go into effect fall 2008. At the student parking forum on April 10, Steve Cassard, assistant vice president for campus planning and real estate development, and President Robert L. Bogomolny responded to SGA's requests.
SGA: Reduce the proposed parking rates by one third.
Cassard: "We are looking at options on how we can mitigate the cost to the student relevant to the rates or to other options we have such as reduction in fees. You may have seen we've proposed to reduce the student Auxiliary Fee by $5 per credit."
SGA: Make the first 30 minutes of parking free for students who are on campus for short businesses.
Cassard: "We're looking at means in which we can create some quick-drop parking right here in the heart of campus [in front of the Academic Center, the Student Center and on Maryland Avenue and/or on some UB-controlled real estate].…It may be a metered situation, which would just charge a nominal meter fee, but that could be managed and enforced."
SGA: Guarantee full refunds on remaining balances for unused parking credits when a student leaves the university (i.e. graduated, terminated study at UB).
Cassard: "That is feasible. There may be a nominal processing charge."
SGA: Stagger the increase in parking rates for current students.
Bogomolny: "There are two separate issues. One is the cost of running the facility and developing it, and the other is long-term—reducing the deficit of the university," which already will be stepped and staged. Administration is reviewing whether or not they can make it happen over a longer period of time.
SGA: Cap the maximum annual payments for students.
Cassard: "We're looking at it. There's some concerns about parking management and abuse once you reach the cap. It may still, in some respects, affect rates, but we're looking at that."
SGA: Lower parking rates for weekends.
Cassard: "That's a challenge…lower rates on the weekends could potentially mean higher rates during the week."
SGA: Increase pay for student workers and graduate assistants to offset the parking increase.
Cassard: "We understand that some grad assistants have a salary cap, an income cap, an hourly rate cap, they can't make beyond that. So we are looking at the individual, unique cases that apply to students who also work here and try to figure how we can develop some proposals that would mitigate the cost of parking."
SGA: Involve the student governments and shared governance bodies in a legitimate dialogue and collaborative process at least one academic year prior to signing future contracts.
Not addressed by Cassard
Compiled by Nedra Cruz
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