SACUA: No end in sight for parking woes

By Jodie Kaufman

Daily Staff Reporter

The campus parking crunch dominated the conversation at yesterday's Senate Advisory Committee for University Affairs meeting.

SACUA Vice Chairman Lewis Kleinsmith asked whether "we want to let the parking problem sit for two years?"

Kleinsmith said he understands "there is no simple solution, but we need to keep it going. Do we want it to be said that SACUA has said the parking is okay?" he asked.

Kleinsmith cited the main problem is that no one has taken the initiative to get things going.

"Nobody has shown leadership or courage to say something needs to be done," Kleinsmith said.

Jackie Lawson, the newly elected SACUA chairman who will take office May 1, said she will keep the parking situation on the SACUA agenda until solutions have been made.

Current SACUA Chairwoman Sherrie Kossoudji said "the parking situation hits every single faculty member, no matter their status."

SACUA has recently begun to hold informal parking surveys in campus blue lots, which are reserved for staff and faculty members holding a blue parking pass.

Kossoudji reported that the School of Business Administration and the Church Street lots are the two lots where they found the most non-stickered cars at any given time.

"The enforcement is very, very lax," Kossoudji said.

Kleinsmith said he thinks the information should be sent to parking officials.

"It is very interesting and important data, that we should forward to parking officials," Kleinsmith said.

The fact parking lots are not being monitored is a breakdown in communication. University Provost Nancy Cantor and President Lee Bollinger have said there are parking monitors but Kleinsmith said they are not present.

The only data that the University has is that of SACUA's, Kleinsmith said.

Another concern about the parking stemmed from faculty interest.

SACUA member Barbara MacAdam said "with the addition of the Life Science Programs, more visitors and guests will need parking. For visitors to come and take a look at the parking situation is a very negative reflection for the University."

SACUA members discussed their next step and decided to continue holding their casual parking surveys biweekly. The survey will only be held at the Church Street and School of Business Administration parking structures, since most cars without blue passes and tickets have been found there, Kossoudji said.

"One reason to do it, is if we personally collect data, all we say is 'Lee we want you to stop illegal parking,'" Kossoudji said.

Cantor visited yesterday's meeting and updated the committee on the Life Science Initiative.

"We have made parallels in a sense to the undergraduate curriculum, especially Engineering and LSA - we want to make sure to integrate courses across campus," Cantor said.

Deans from LSA, College of Engineering, School of Public Health and the School of Natural Resources and Environment have been brainstorming ways to integrate course sequences and are getting faculty and student feedback, Cantor said.

"We are moving forward, and are very excited about that," Cantor said.

Programs associated with the Life Sciences Initiative should be in effect by the fall of 2001, regardless of physical structure of the new buildings, Cantor said.