The A.S. Council unanimously issued resolutions expressing opposition to both the projected elimination of 1,103 “”S”” parking spaces and the potential abolition of freshman resident parking on April 9.
Guardian
The resolutions come in the wake of a Feb. 5 report made by Transportation Policy Committee A.S. representative Tom Chapman, announcing that 1,103 “”S”” spaces are to be displaced by April 2004, in order to make room for the construction and expansion of five campus facilities. Chapman reported that as a result, the TPC would be discussing the prospect of eliminating freshman resident parking, in addition to other measures that could curtail demand for parking and increase campus parking space supply.
The TPC advises the vice chancellor of business affairs on the state of UCSD’s transportation services and facilities, and consists of student, faculty, staff and administration representatives.
In response to the elimination of “”S”” spaces, the A.S. resolution argues that “”the undergraduate students at UCSD should have an opportunity to work, commute to and park on campus that is equal to the opportunity held by graduate students, medical students, faculty and staff,”” while the resolution in support of freshman parking deems it “”inappropriate to restrict freshman parking without first attempting other measures to adequately compensate for the elimination of 1,103 ‘S’ parking spaces.””
“”Academics and student life are at the core of our resolutions,”” said Muir College freshman senator Nam Bui. “”Parking affects academics and student life … We don’t exactly live in a college town.””
Bui co-founded the All-Campus Parking Strike Force, a student committee established to raise support for parking issues, in mid-February. The strike force will most likely organize a student demonstration in response to the elimination of “”S”” spaces and the possible restriction of freshman resident parking during sixth or seventh week, according to Bui.
“”We want more ‘S’ spaces and alternative means of transportation, but at the same time, we want to preserve freshman parking,”” Bui said.
Chapman will present the A.S. resolutions to the TPC at a future meeting. The TPC has yet to determine how to compensate for the projected loss of “”S”” spaces, in part because the decision is dependent on the number of students that enroll at UCSD for next year, according to Chapman.
The A.S. resolution in response to the elimination of “”S”” spaces calls upon the TPC to uphold its charge to the committee, arguing that for the TPC to “”reflect a fair and neutral process that respects the needs of the constituencies served by the campus parking and transportation system”” — as stated in its charge — it must not eliminate “”S”” spaces while leaving “”A”” and “”B”” spaces intact.
The resolution also urges the TPC to consider its charges to “”be sensitive to and consider effects on the quality of life in the off-campus community,”” and to “”foster judicious allocation of land devoted to parking facilities”” when examining the effects of the displacement of “”S”” spaces.
“”What we’re trying to emphasize is the elimination of ‘S’ spaces and freshman parking contradicts the charge of the [TPC],”” Bui said.
Transportation and Parking Services Director and Executive Secretary of the TPC Greg Snee was unavailable for comment.
Members of the Parking Strike Force will present the resolutions to the college councils this week to garner more support, according to Bui.
