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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 2005)
Workers go car-free during commute challenge I 5 A Oregon Daily Emerald An independent newspaper at the University of Oregon www. dailyemerald. com Since 1900 \ Volume 107, Issue 32 \ Friday, October 7, 2005 DPS revokes retirees' parking passes Because of complaints and increases in free permits, some retired employees must pay $167 yearly BY KATY GAGNON NEWS REPORTER Beginning this term, retired fac ulty and staff who work part-time for the University can no longer park on campus for free. The Department of Public Safety previously issued free parking per mits to qualifying retired Universi ty employees, but continued complaints from faculty and staff, and a large increase in the amount of free permits issued prompted DPS to stop giving permits to re tired employees who are still paid by the University. Retired employees who are not paid still get free permits. A few years ago, 60 free parking permits were issued to retired Uni versity employees. Since then, the number has climbed to more than 300, DPS Parking and Transporta tion manager Rand Stamm said. Last year, emeritus permit sales totaled about $472,000, a large portion of DPS’ yearly budget of $1.6 million. Faculty and staff permits are $75 per term or $167 per year. Each year, faculty and staff purchase be tween 3,200 and 3,400 permits, about half the total permits pur chased from DPS. Overuse of free parking permits for retired employees results in fewer parking spaces and de creased funds for DPS, Stamm said. DPS uses the money to fund its parking operations. The free passes are for “Universi ty faculty granted emeritus/emerita status and to other retired University employees whose years of service and continuing connections with the University indicate such a bene fit is appropriate,” according to DPS’ Web site. Since the change, Stamm said he has received several com plaints from employees who once parked for free. “(Paying for) parking passes will diminish the amount of time retired faculty spend on campus, and that’s unfortunate,” said Grant McKernie, a retired theater arts professor who still temporari ly works for the University. “It’s important that retired faculty feel they are welcome on campus to participate in activities, to help Kate Horton | Photographer Retired faculty members who work part-time on campus will now have to pay the full $167 for a parking pass. Unpaid retired faculty receive the passes for free. out and to continue their own research.” McKernie retired from the Uni versity four years ago and this is his last year teaching, he said. He will be eligible for a free permit next year when he is no longer paid by the University. Stamm said the decision was also made to “focus on the long range of getting people away from purchasing permits to (drive) their own vehicles and using other modes of transportation,” such as carpooling or walking to campus. “It’s the best way to entice peo ple to think about alternative transportation to campus,” said Steve Mital, sustainability coordi nator for the Environmental Health and Safety department. Mi tal will work with DPS to reduce the amount of faculty who drive to work by developing programs like ride shares, a two-person carpool. “You should have to pay to park on campus,” he said. Contact the crime, health and safety reporter at kgagnon@dailyemerald.com Housing director serves as vice president Mike Eyster has been the interim vice president for student affairs since July 1. Eyster is also the director of University Housing. Mike Eyster promotes learning environment students experience in University residence halls BY JOE BAILEY NEWS REPORTER Director of University Housing Mike Eyster believes living in a residence hall is a vital learning experience. After all, he discovered his future career while living in the residence halls at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In addition to serving as housing director, Eyster was appointed the interim vice presi dent for student affairs on July 1. Eyster, who was the assistant vice president for student affairs prior to his interim appoint ment, said he did not devote nearly as much time to student affairs then as he does now. He estimated he now spends about 60 percent of his time on student affairs and 40 percent of his time working with housing issues. His added responsibilities brought him a $30,000 stipend. He earns about $89,000 a year as director of University Housing. Director of Residence Life Sandy EYSTER, page 8A DPS could issue $75 citations to pedestrians Fines will be issued for walking violations during campus construction BY EMILY SMITH NEWS REPORTER The University’s Department of Public Safety will start issuing $75 citations to pedestrians who don’t obey foot-traffic de tour signs near and around construction sites on campus, DPS Lt. Herb Horner said. The sidewalks on the north and east sides of the University Health Center will be closed for the 2005-06 academic year because of the center’s expansion project. The north side of East 15th Avenue near the Living Learning Center construction site will also be closed. Many pedestrians have been walking in the streets, sometimes three or four abreast, instead of crossing over to open sidewalks. Horner said the pedestrians block vehi cles, upset drivers and raise safety con cerns. There is not enough room at either location for both pedestrians and cars, he said. No one has been hurt yet. Horner said DPS has been sending out verbal warnings to violators “all day, every day.” Although DPS wants to issue city cita tions only as a last resort, it may have to start within the next week or two, he said. Because Agate Street is in the city’s ju risdiction, people caught walking in re stricted areas near the health center may be cited by Eugene Police. People caught walking adjacent to health center con struction on East 13th Avenue and those walking near LLC construction may be cited by DPS. Horner said the situation will become much worse when the outgoing lane in front of the health center closes for con struction vehicle traffic. During a later construction phase, the eastbound lane will replace the westbound lane, and the westbound lane will be relocated to the parking spaces in front of Oregon Hall. “Congestion is going to be just terrible for a period of time,” Horner said. CITATIONS, page 12A ASUO president may become head of West University group Adam Walsh is poised to become chairman of the West University Neighbors association and hopes more students will get involved BY CHRIS HAGAN NEWS REPORTER ASUO President Adam Walsh is set to take control of another local organization. Walsh was the sole nominee for chairman of the West University Neighbors at the asso ciation’s meeting Thursday night. Elections will take place next week, but the city charter states that no one can be nominated at the next meeting unless the position is unfilled, making Waish the only candidate unless he chooses to back out before the next meeting. Walsh isn’t concerned about the time com mitment required to head both the ASUO and the WUN. “Right now, it wouldn’t pose a problem,” he said. “It’s only two nights a month and a few other meetings.” Walsh was nominated for the position by former Chairman Drix Rixmann, who could n’t run because of the WUN term limit rules. If elected, Walsh wants to increase commu nity and student involvement and attendance at WUN meetings, he said after the meeting. The WUN could increase its standing and in fluence in the city if students were more ac tive in the organization, Walsh said. “We could almost take control of part of the city,” Walsh said. The WUN also filled nominations for its other open positions. About 12 people attended the meeting. Ward 3 City Councilor David Kelly, a WUN resident, was nominated for a board position by Walsh. Kelly hasn’t announced whether or not he will run for another term as a city coun cilor and wasn’t present at the meeting. RLxmann was nominated for a position on the board, a role he had expressed interest in before the meeting. Rixmann said he was look ing forward to trying to get the word out in the neighborhood about the WUN. “I’d like to just do media for a while,” Rix mann said during the meeting. Though nominations were made for all posi tions, some board nominees were absent and may not accept. In the case that there are not enough nominees during next month’s vote, the city charter states that nominations can be WUN, page 3A