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