Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / Sept. 1, 2010, edition 1 / Page 6
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THE PENDULUM NEWS PAGE 6//WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1,2010 ^ ^ ^ 20-minute parking spots brings convenience to students Caltlin O’Donnell News Editor Students looking for a quick place to park will now find spots more conveniently with the addition of four new 20-minute parking spots by the railroad tracks near the McEwen School of Communications. Chuck Cantos, director of Campus Safety and Police, said the Student Government Association originally had the idea for new parking spaces and passed the resolution at the end of the last school year, approving two parking spots on each end of the tracks. “SGA realizes that parking for students is a hassle, and there are some times when you only need to step into a building for a few minutes," said Taylor Martin, executive president of SGA. “We wanted to get this implemented as fast as we could so that students could enjoy its use.” Cantos said the spots are particularly convenient to residence halls. “Students are able to unload groceries, carry laundry, stop and drop off a book,” Martin said the parking restrictions by the railroad tracks had previously made these quick trips impossible for students. Gantos said anyone with a registered vehicle will be able to use the spots. “We (monitor) these just like in Moseley Center," he said. “An officer goes by every 30 minutes to make sure people have moved their cars. If they haven’t, they take down their license plate number." Before the legislation was written, Martin said SGA took note of student response. “Students on campus feel so strongly about the need for more parking spaces that this idea shot to the front of the line," he said. “We have the full support of the students. Martin said there has been talk or new 20-minute parking spots in other locations, though no specific plans have been formed yet. "Parking is one of the main issues on campus and we are doing our best to make sure that we can solve this problem,” he said. ELON PERMITS ONLY LINDSAY FENDT|PhotoMo! With the addition of four 20-minute parking spots by the railroad tracks, students with registered ca s Tan now make quick trips near McEwen School of Commun.cations and downtown Elon. Sampus police officers patrol the spots regularly to ensure the time limit is enforced. carry laundry, stop ana arop on a . Program integrates social media to encourage carpooling ^ ^1 A. rt fttn CaKUn O’Donnell News Editor A new program arriving at Elon University this fall will integrate the use of social media to assist student, faculty and staff in finding carpool partners. Zimride, an innovative online rideshare system, will use Facebook and Google Maps integration, said Elaine Durr, sustainability coordinator. “To sign up for a free account, go to www.zimride. com/elon. Post the ride you would like to share,” she said. “Users can post one-time trips such as going to the airport, Greensboro or the beach, as well as regular commuting trips.” The Zimride system will then search for rides based on other Elon Zimriders and provide a list of matching ride postings, Durr said. It is a secure network that requires a current Elon e-mail address to gain access. Based on an Elon commuter habit survey from the tall of 2008, 10 percent of staff and 14 percent of faculty carpool on an average of three days a week and 35 percent of students carpool an average of two days a week. According to Durr, an E-net announcement has been made promoting the program, and students should also expect an e-mail about the program during the first week of classes. “Orientation Leaders and Resident Assistants have also been informed about this new program,” she said. Promotions will also be used to encourage participation. Five Zimriders from around the country who use the system before October 15 will win a SlOO Visa gift card. A grand prize of $1,000 will also be awarded to one carpooling group that submits a fun picture or story of their carpool by that date. Durr said the program will not only help users save time when finding someone to share a ride with, but will also allow them to share transportation costs. Furthermore, carpooling puts less wear and tear on vehicles and will mean less demand for additional parking lots, which would preserve green space. “With fewer single occupancy vehicles coming to campus each day, carbon emissions will decrease,” Durr said. “Carpooling (can) prevent 19.4 pounds of C02 emissions for each gallon of gas you don’t use.” In 2008, commuting emissions of students, faculty and staff reached 13.6 percent and in 2009, reached 14.9 percent. “Commuting emissions increased primarily from an increase in population,” Durr said. In the spring of 2010, Elon completed a Climate Action Plan to reduce the university’s emissions by 2037. “The strategies and goals outlined in the CAP will, by 2037, reduce emissions from what the university produced in its 2008 baseline year,” Elon’s sustainability website said. “Those reductions are expected even as the campus increases its building square footage through future projects.” Durr said the interim reduction targets for Elon’s overall net emissions, are 5 percent by 2015 and 18 percent by 2020. “Elon's Climate Action Plan will be reviewed periodically and revised as appropriate to take new technologies, incentives and developments into consideration,” she said. Carpooling on campus Based on a commuter habit survey from the fall of 2008, 10 percent of staff carpool 3 days a week 14 percent of faculty carpool 3 days a week 5 percent of students carpool 2 days a week Carbon emissions on campus According to Elaine Durr, susta'mabfttt^^ coordinator, carbon emissions increased because of a higher population of cars on campus. Carbon emissions were: 13.6 percent in 2008 14.9 percent in 2009 Online payment system available for traffic violators Offenders able to pay citatioij fees through website Camille DeMere Reporter Minor traffic violators in North Carolina can now skip the court fees and lines, and head directly to their nearest computers. At the end of June, a new system was implemented statewide allowing drivers to pay their fines on payncticket.org using major credit cards. If an Elon University security officer catches a student speeding or following too closely, those tickets can be paid through the new system as well. “Any citation written by an Elon campus police officer goes through the court system, just like if any other officer wrote it," said Captain Vickie Moehlman of Campus Safety and Police. Moehlman said most students don't realize Elon campus police is equal to any other law enforcement agency. “The only difference is our jurisdiction,” she said. “It’s private property and the public property is adjacent to it.” According to Sharon Gladwell, communication director of the administrative office of the courts, the system has been in development since October 2009. As of Aug. 24, drivers had used it to pay more than 15,000 citations. ALEX TRICE | Photographer Students can now pay traffic tickets on new website. Before the payment goes through, users must acknowledge they are waiving their constitutional right to a trial in open court. In addition, they must also pay a processing fee. It currently accepts payments for most waivable traffic offenses including improper passing, failure to yield, following too closely and texting while driving. Users can access their records on the site by using a citation number issued to them at the time of the ticket, or by searching by last name. While moving violations go through the North Carolina court system, Moehlman said on-campus parking tickets will still need to be paid in the traffic office in The Oaks. “Those tickets are a civil matter on private property and have nothing to do with the state law,” she said. Gladwell said there are plans to expand the system, but due to resource shortages, they have been Elon employee fills seat on Gibsonville Board of Aldermen Bromilow plans to encourage economic development Anna Johnson Managing Editor Neil Bromilow, Elon University's director of Planning, Design and Construction Management, has been appointed to Gibsonville’s Board of Aldermen. Bromilow was appointed during the Aug. 2 meeting. He is taking the place of alderman Fred Barringer, who moved out of town limits and had to give up his position. Bromilow has served on the downtown revitalization board and the planning board. Accepting thisposition on the Board of Aldermen, he said, is a natural extension of his previous work. The Gibsonville farmers' market and the Saturday night music were created by the efforts of those on Nell Bromilow Director of planning, design and construction management the downtown revitalization board, including Bromilow. A community center, a gyn> and other town staples are plans of Bromilow, along with accessing how the town spends its money. Another aspect of Bromilow s plan is to formulate a plan for attracting businesses to Gibsonville. “We need to economic development,” he said. “Nothing formal like a chamber of commerce, but a strategy for economic growth.” The big three items on his agenda include planning for larger projects, looking at the towns cost effectiveness and pursuing economic development. The rest of the board, he said, probably feels the same way. “They are probably in the realnj of common ground,” he said. “And there are different ways of achieving this, but we are talking about appl^ pie. It's not controversial.” Taking the position on the Gibsonville Board of Alderrnen will not affect his work at Elon University, he said. Bromilow will serve tne remainder of the term, which ends in November 2011. It's too sooij. he said, for him to decide if he wi run in the election.
Elon University Student Newspaper
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Sept. 1, 2010, edition 1
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