Elon University s Weekly Student Publication
tJTfje ^enbulum
^etinesday, September 12, 2007 • www.elon.edu/pendulum • Volume 33, Edition 15
Zipcar rentals to lend
aid to car-less students
Liz Palmer
Reporter
Gone are the days of car-less
students depending on bicycles or
walking to get around Burlington.
Later this fall Elon
will partner
with
Zipcars provides towns, companies
and campuses with on-the-spot car
rentals, available for hours or days at a
time. An approved online application
and annual $35 fee secure a year’s
membership with the Web site.
After applicants are
accepted, the user
will receive a
“Zipcard,”
a key
Photo courtesy of Zipcars.com
Zipcars to bring the pay-and-
go car rental system to campus, says
Gerald Whittington, vice president for
business, finance and technology.
resembling the Phoenix cards that Elon
students use already, in the mail. From
here, members can choose to reserve a
car either over the phone or online.
Once the reservation is made, the
vehicle is wirelessly programmed
for immediate usage. The vehicle is
then found ready and waiting in a
designated on-campus location for
its driver. Flashing the “Zipcard” in
front of the windshield is all it takes
to unlock the doors. The keys to the
engine can be found inside.
From there, the driver is given $35
of free driving and up to four days
to use the car at their own leisure
before returning it to the drop
off spot. A gas card that stays
inside the vehicle ailows
users to fill up the car without
spending their own money
and routine maintenance is also
completed and paid for by the
Zipcars Corporation.
Zipcar drivers are also provided
ZIPCAR continued on p. 5
Plans begin for Elon public library
Bethany Swanson
Copy Editor
The town of Elon has begun
discussing building and financing plans
for a new library, potentially located at
Beth Schmidt Park on Cook Road, less
than two miles from campus.
At its agenda setting meeting
Tuesday, Sept. 4, the Elon Board of
Aldermen opened discussion about
how it will field construction costs
for the proposed 15,000 square foot
building. At $200 per square foot the
building will cost the town between
$2.5 and $3 million.
The board voted on planning issues
and how to fund the new library at
their meeting on Sept. 11. At press
time, the results were not available.
Town Manager Mike Dula raised
the issue of funding at the meeting
on Sept. 4, stating that the board
should start making decisions so that
construction on the building can begin.
The town will most likely look
to private donors, foundations and
fundraising through the community to
cut as much of the out-of-pocket cost
as possible.
“I’d like to raise three-quarters
to $1 million, and then fund the rest
ourselves,” Mayor Tolley said. “We
have a healthy fund balance, plus we
own 73 acres of land that we could
sell any time. We hope to achieve this
project without any tax raises.”
The Alamance County
commissioners unanimously approved
the library project at their meeting in
early August. At that point, the town
of Elon had not officially committed
to funding the building. Typically, the
town covers costs of new building
construction; though once the building
is constructed the county pays for
upkeep and the cost of employees.
Elon University Dean and
University Librarian Kate Hickey
and other staff members, including
Dr. Earl Danieley, are on the advisoiy
committee pushing for the new library.
Of the six libraries in Alamance
County, none are on the western side.
Mayor Tolley explained that most
residents in Burlington and Elon
choose to drive to Graham, about 15
minutes away, because the library
in downtown Burlington has limited
parking.
The new library will provide the
residents of Burlington, Gibsonville
and Elon with resources that cannot
be met by the university library.
Bethany Swanson/ Photographer
Beth Schmidt Park is the projected
location for the new library.
According to Hickey, there are only
106 registered community borrowers
at Belk Library.
“We don’t have what they want,”
she said. “But this is very exciting;
it’ll be a great resource for all of us,
especially the faculty and staff with
LIBRARY continued on p. 5
Fitness
center to
open in
Danieley
Amanda Duberman
Reporter
Residents of Danieley Center
may have a shorter walk to a fitness
center in upcoming months. New
plans have been proposed space in
Danieley Center Commons be used for
a small fitness center complete with
two treadmills, two Arc Trainers, two
exercise bikes and a stretching mat.
The fitness center is part of a
university goal to focus on improving
and enhancing the commons facilities
for each residential area. Danieley
Center is the first area to receive
improvements.
“The goals of the renovation
included updating the Commons and
making it more attractive for students,
adding new features like the fitness
room and providing more user-friendly
meeting and study space,” said Jeff
Stein, assistant dean of students.
New furniture for the main lounge
will be arriving in the next few
months, along with a foosball table and
a cards table, Stein said.
The fitness equipment is already on
campus and is expected to be installed
once the building’s doors are wired for
security.
The fitness center will be located
in the back room of the Commons
building at Danieley. Fitness Center
hours will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and
students will access the facilities by
swiping their Phoenix card.
“Having a gym right next door will
definitely give me more incentive to
exercise since I won’t have to trek
all the way to campus to do it,” said
fi-eshmen Rosalie Trujillo, a Danieley
Center resident. “I’ll probably
participate in a more intense workout
given that I won’t be traveling as far
and wearing myself out beforehand.”
Not all students are in support
of the possible fitness center. Many
think the walk to campus shouldn’t
be a hindrance if a student is going to
workout.
“Danieley doesn’t need a fitness
center, the walk to and from campus is
FITNESS continued on p. 5