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Volume 54 lssue 2
Officials still working to ease parking woes
By Larry L. Peel
Staff Writer
Gopher Junction @ aol.com
As more than 10,000 students arrive
and return to the University of West
Georgia, one question is near the top of
nearly everyone’s mind. “Dude, where’s
my car gonna go?”
With only about 4,200 parking places
on campus, some of the first lessons
students learn are patience and campus
geography. Those lucky enough to find a
spot often find themselves on the opposite
end of the campus from where they wish
to be.
That’s where Chief Tom Mackel’s
public safety department comes in.
Mackel’s staff coordinates on and off
campus transportation, as well as creates
parking policies.
Some students, possibly believing
that the parking policies would not be
immediately enforced, or just not yet
familiar with all of them, have already
learned hard lessons as their vehicles
were towed or ticketed for improper
parking or illegal parking..
Students are warned that posted
handicapped, faculty/staff, and red and
green curb areas are strictly enforced, and
Mackel: Hang tags offer
more safety, convenience
By Joan Drammeh
Contributing Writer
joanofacc@aol.com
The University of West Georgia is a
commuter campus. Seven out of every
ten students drive to school to face motor
mayhem.
On Mondays and Wednesdays
parking is maxed out by 11 a.m. and the
hopeful sit in their cars waiting to stalk
any student fidgeting with keys.
UWG junior Tabitha Martin fights
boredom while waiting for a space.
“I’ve been late for class all week,” she
said. “I don’t have class until 10 a.m.,
and I have to be here by 8:30 a.m. just to
get parking, so I won’t be late for class.”
At least now she has something
pretty to look at while waiting. The
new red and blue hanging parking tags
sparkle with UWG pride.
UWG public safety chief Thomas
Mackel said the transition from the
sticker decal to the hanging tag was for
safety reasons.
“A lot of times people would take
the decals off or stretch them across the
back of their windows, so it was a safety
issue,” he said.
Fraternity recruitment features bus tour, open house
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Photo by Dave Word
Some call It recruitment, some call it rush, but Chi Phi and the other fraternities were
ready on Monday.
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File photo by Dave Word
The Blue bus route has been scrapped and anew Red route has been added In an effort
to Improve the efficiency of the bus services.
vehicles will be ticketed or removed.
Students returning to UWG will
notice one significant change to the bus
schedule this year. The Blue bus route
has been eliminated, and a second Red
route has been added.
“We looked at the numbers and found
Mackel also said the new tags are
more convenient. “If your car breaks
down and you need to drive your
parents’ car, just switch the decal.
You don’t have to call the visitors
permission log. If you get anew car,
instead of having to register again, just
move the hanging decal.”
Freshman Amanda Payne thinks
the new parking decals are “nifty” but
says she would rather have new parking
places. “More parking spots would be
better because it is too hot to walk far,”
she said.
All those grieving in the gridlock
can take comfort in the fact that the new
decals are making it harder for them to
get parking tickets.
Parking Control Officer John
Gladney said, “The new system is a little
more difficult because it takes more time
to walk around cars instead of just riding
through looking for the decals on the
back. The tinted windows and morning
frost also makes it harder to see them.”
There is an alternative to the parking
mess on campus. Riding the Target
Shuttle 25 times is worth $25 towards
any item at the UWG Bookstore, even
those costly textbooks.
the Blue Route was carrying significantly
less riders than the Red,” Mackel said.
“The Blue route went counter
clockwise, so it did not hit the places the
students wanted to go to as quickly as the
Red. The Red was at times overloaded,
so we doubled up on the Red and cut the
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Photo by Dave Word
Parking enforcement officer Doyle Folds tickets an illegally parked car near the UCC
Friday afternoon.
By Crystal Farrer
Staff Writer
cfarrerl @my.westga.edu
Interfraternity
Council Recruitment
began Monday evening,
kicking off with a welcome
and orientation session at
Bonner Lecture Hall.
According to IFC
President Stephen Dixon,
more than 150 male
students are expected
to go through fraternity
recruitment this year.
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wait time in half. This week, each bus
has carried over 4(X) riders daily, while
last year the Blue would carry as few
as 60,” he continued.
In addition to the campus bus
routes, the Department of Public
Safety also offers shuttle services to
off-campus locations, in order to assist
students with the parking crunch.
With funding from Chateau,
Mandeville Lofts, Rivers Edge and
River Place Apartment communities,
the University offers a shuttle service
for students that so far has proven
very popular.
“On Wednesday, for example, we
had over 200 ride, which obviously had
a big impact on the campus, in terms
of parking and traffic congestion. If
these routes grow, we will consider
expanding them as part of our overall
parking and transportation plan.”
Mackel said.
New this year as well is an off
campus shuttle for commuter students.
Janet Sheffield, who was
recently hired to be the driver
of the new shuttle, says that so
far only six students per day are
See PARKING page 3
There are nine IFC
organizations at UWG,
including Alpha Tau
Omega, Tau Kappa Epsilon,
Chi Phi, Kappa Sigma,
Delta Chi. The others are
Pi Kappa Phi, Kappa Alpha
Order, Pi Kappa Alpha and
Sigma Nu.
After the orientation
session, the men began
bus tours Tuesday evening
to see all of the fraternity
houses on campus. The
tours will continue tonight,
to give everyone a chance
Wednesday, August 21, 2002
to visit all the houses. The
bus tours ensure that every
potential member has
visited with each fraternal
organization.
On Thursday, there
will be an open house at
all the houses, starting at
9 p.m. and lasting until 1
a.m. Open house continues
on Friday, from 5 p.m.
until 1 a.m.
Open house gives the
men a chance to go back
See IFC, page 2