CoKD^MMJOb The Student Newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, North Carolina Volume XII, Number & October 19,1976 Parking changes planned Carolina Journal photo by Pete Meuser Overcrowded parking lots often force students and faculty alike j to ignore the prospects of tickets and park ^ illegal areas. By Becky Mooneyhan Since the beginning of the fall emester, students have been omplaining about the problem parking acilities. It seemed like there was never nough space and when part of the lot ehind Cone Univerity Center was made ito a visitors’ parking lot, anger aimed t the administration surfaced. Students legan to feel that the administrationn vas totally unaware of their parking leeds. The administration claims to be well ware of the parking problem as well as tudent needs. They have made plans for parking improvements and .additions, however the Parking and Trafftc Committee has not acted on finalizing all of the plans. The committee has made several studies which reveal: Approximately 6,000 trips are made to and from the university campus in a 24 hour period. Approximately 8% of traffic enters off of Mallard Creek Church Road. Approximately 11% enters on the drive between the parking lots off of Mallard Creek Road. The greater portion and remainder of the traffic enters through the main entrance. As of May, 1974, the Caudill. Rowlett, and Scott Study estimates a total existing parking capacity of 3,421 spaces. Peak hour utilization is generally between 9:30 am and 1:00 pm when approximately 2,500 to 2,600 cars are on campus. This figure is comprised of 1,300 to 1,600 commuter cars with the balance represented by residents’ cars. . When asked, about the administration’s ideas relating to the parking problem. Vice Chancellor for Business Affiars Leo Ells said, “the magnolia, strip in the dorm parking lot will be eliminated to make way for 110 small car spaces. The idea behind making this area for small cars is that you can get twice as many small car spaces as larger spaces for bigger cars. It gives the people with small cars an advantage of being able to park closer to the dorms. This has been in the planning stages for two or three months, however, we are waiting for the first frost to cause the sap in the magnolia trees to drop so that they can be transplanted. Hopefully when the students get back from the Thanksgiving weekend there will be-11 morespaces. It may happen before then if the conditions are right.’’ The next step was the hiring of Pease Architects to draw up plans for a deck between the gym and Cone University Center. However, the plan for the 200 additional deck spaces n jst be reviewed by the Traffic Committee. Ells said “Another step under active study and recommendation is another 200 additional spaces for growth due to the new low rise expansion of the dorms. This parking facility is expected to be completed before tlie low rise apartments are finished.” Still another possibility for parking on the East side of campus is a gravel lot that can be used for later paving. The committee has seen this possibility and others. They contracted Kimberly Horne to make a projected study which took into consideration such ideas as road measurement, pedestrian, count and other parking needs. It was projected that the next major parking facility will be undertaken in between 3 to 5 years, or earlier if enrollment dictates. The plan proposes approximately 900 additional spaces possibly located North of McEniry and Smith and West of the physical plant. According to Ells, “if everything goes according to plan, UNCC will have over 500 new parking spaces and a gravel lot by next fall.”, Registration to undergo facelift Carolina Journal photo by Lisa Laney Assistant Registrar Doug Sutherland, the man responsible for setting up the new Registration system. By Steve Bass UNCC students have complained for years about the inadequacies of the registration system currently used. The long lines, hot temperatures and unfair practices employed have been criticized. The solution, it is hoped, is changing the iystem to a computer process. Doug Sutherland, assistant to the registrar, is n charge of the transition to the ;omputerized registration system. Sutherland, a specialist in installing ystems, says, “I hope the students lon’t expect a computer system to nagically solve all the problems of egistration. It won’t. It will however, ive students an opportunity to register uring pre-advising; and instead of a tudent just being turned down at a esk with the comment “That class is losed,” the student will get a card xplaining why they didn’t get a class, ven though that’s more impeifsonal you 11 at least know the why.” Sutherland says he doesn’t want to begin a complex operation like computerized registration without input from faculty and students. For several months Sutherland has been preparing questionnaires toward this end. “The questionnaire was devised for several reasons, (1) We needed to know what students desire with regard to scheduling, (2) We needed some information about time blocks students want and (3) We needed to get student input on who you decide to put in a class first. For instance, suppose you had a case where a senior and a freshman both desired an introductory level course, I’d personally give preference to the freshman. Some people would ■ disagree saying seniors always should get priority in class selection, that’s one reason we need student input.” The questionnaire Sutherland has dealing with student status (class level, commuter or dorm student, class load, outside work schedule and age). Sutherland says, “We won’t have the student sign his or her name to the questionnaire-, but we have included the status questions in order to be able to correlate remaining answers with student status. For instance, why do most commuters prefer morning classes, thay type of correlational information.” The remainder of the questionnaire delas with student opinions regarding registration and scheduling. Sutherland says, “These are the real important questions for us. Students are always bitching about this or that about registration. Well, here is an opportunity for the students to have some say about how the process will operate in the future. For example, we need to know if students sign up for courses because it meets their time demands, or if they sign up because of professors teaching the class, or whatever. I’ve been told that if 1 get a 20% return ratio on these questionnaires I should be happy. Well, I won’t be. I don’t want to sound pushy, but 1 believe students should respond to This survey. It can only help them.” The 'questionnaires will be mailed to students this week. Students are asked to fill out the questionaire and return the form to one of the following locations: (1) registrar’s .office, Reese Administration Building, (2) Commuter Lounge, (3) Candy Counter, Cone Center, or (4) the campus mail system. Results and an interpretation of this survey will be printed in the Journal in late November. Sutherland concluded by saying, “1 will be happy to meet with any students regarding the new system. Any input we get can only help us design a good system. 1 hate to bring up an old cliche but, “If you don’t help, don’t complain.” Carolina Journal phot by Pete Meuser -'W . "T H* I ! • The ‘toll gate’ at the visitor lot behind Cone Center reflects the school’s parking problems.

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