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1811 JBM
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Volume 55 lssue 6
Parking findings cast new light on old problem
By Larry Peel
Staff Writer
larry@ioncinema.com
One of the hottest
topics of discussion of late
on campus has been the
parking situation.
The addition of new
buildings on campus, new
apartments off campus
and an ever growing
student body make each
day’s rush hour seem
more like a cross between
a NASCAR race and a
rodeo than the campus
of an institute of higher
learning.
Students vie for
position and race for the
best available spots, often
leaving home early to
ensure they park as close
to their classes as possible.
Often though
desperation and frustration
leads to poor choices
and students opt to take
their chances parking in
unauthorized zones.
Last year alone,
students who were either
in too big a hurry, or
simply thought they
could beat the system,
contributed $334,435 to
the University’s Auxiliary
Services budget in parking
violation fines.
According to Chief
Tom Mackel of the
Department of Public-
Safety, the most common
violation area is the staff
parking places.
Staff parking is
often located in the most
convenient places on
campus and a student
running late or simply
gambling on their chances
attempt to park in these
lots only to find out the
Volunteer fair draws diverse companies
Event highlights opportunities for students
By Mariam Abuhaideri
Staff Writer
mabuhaideri @ westga.edu
The Department of
Career Services organized
a Volunteer Fair in the TLC
lobby last Wednesday.
The fair was arranged
to introduce UWG
students to the many
volunteer opportunities
available at West Georgia
and its vicinities.
The nature of
volunteer activity was
diverse. There was
something to suit every
student’s interest.
For those who enjoy
working with children
either as a mentor or
“The Student Voice at the University of West Georgia since IV.U"
price of their haste is
cold hard cash. Students
often believe that the fines
imposed by the University
are harsh and somehow
governed by the University
seeking to flesh out the
budget of the Department
of Public Safety.
Records show,
however, that the funds
obtained by the parking
violations have no actual
impact on the operations
of the Department or its
annual budget.
Chief Mackel explains
“|Parking Services] has
18 full-time employees
and one part time
employee, including bus
drivers. The budget for
the department is based
solely on the salaries of
those employees, fuel and
maintenance costs for the
vehicles (ATVs and buses)
and the cost of maintaining
signs and curb painting.”
All the signs posted
around campus indicating
parking restrictions,
directional markers and lot
descriptions are handled
through the use of state
prison labor which saves
the University thousands
of dollars per year in
potential expense versus
using private contractors.
For those whose
attempts to find parking
result in locations that
gamer them citations, there
is hope.
The Student Judiciary
division of the Student
Government Association
oversees the monthly
meeting of the Parking
Appeals committee.
The committee is
headed by the Judicial
Chair of the SGA, a student
volunteer, Hemophilia of
Georgia, Inc. Twin Cedars
Youth Services, Inc, Youth
Connections and Carroll
County Court Appointed
Special Advocates, Inc.
were at hand to share the
opportunities they have.
Some like the
Children’s Healthcare
of Atlanta were present
to recruit volunteers for
their various foundation
endeavors that benefit
children.
“We have had a lot of
interested students who
are willing to volunteer
for different projects,”
said Marina Rogers,
Case Manager for Twin
Cedars.
®hie a
(SenripEtt
representative, one faculty
member and one staff
representative. The Appeals
Committee meets once per
month and reviews cases
presented either in person or
in writing for the previous
month.
Chief Mackel said that
often students represent
themselves on multiple
citations at once, he
explained “If a student, for
example, is a commuter
student and doesn’t have
their hanger up, they
can be cited for both
unregistered vehicle (for
the no hanger), as well as
for unauthorized parking
(since the lot cannot be
determined without the
hanger). [ln those cases] it
is not uncommon for one of
the citations to be dropped
on appeal.”
While attempts to
contact the members of
the Appeals Committee
for comment were
unsuccessful, records
indicate that last year
2,620 cases were heard by
the committee.
There are no records
of how many appeals were
actually granted because the
citation is simply removed
from the record of the
student, leaving no record
for validation.
Mackel went on to
explain that students face
worse potential than a
simple citation if they
choose to park in areas
that are strictly forbidden
such as fire lanes,
handicap spaces, and even
the Evergreen Terrace
apartments at the north
entrance of campus.
While the University
enforces the tow-away
Others like the Keep
Carroll Beautiful were
there to get volunteers
for their many projects in
Bowdon, Carrollton, Mt.
Zion and Villa Rica.
These projects
include planting flowers,
weeding, litter clean-up,
landscaping and river
clean-up.
Matthew Searels, an
intern with Keep Carroll
Beautiful, said that their
hope is to get a good number
of volunteers to help them
with beautification projects
throughout the county as
well as with Kids Peace.
Douglas County Habitat
for Humanity participated
at the fair as well.
www.thewestgeorgian.com
i
Many students who park In areas that are not designated for them are given tickets. The
most common violation are students parking in areas that are for faculty and staff.
zones for fire and
handicap areas, Evergreen
Terrace apartments has
posted their own towing
guidelines for students
who park illegally in their
lot.
Students had
previously been parking
also in the abandoned car
wash off campus as well,
but that area has since
The Citizens
Academy of Carroll
County Sheriff’s Office
was represented by Lt.
Matt Wilson and Lt.
Donald Gibson.
They were seeking
volunteers for their
academy program.
The purpose of the
Academy is to develop
interest in local Carroll
County residents about
how their Sheriff’s Office
operates thus creating
positive relations between
Law Enforcement
and community via
education.
The program covers
areas such as Youth
issues, Motor Vehicle
dfdf
Wednesday , September 20, 2006
been cordoned off due to
complaints by the City of
Carrollton that people were
using the bays as oil change
areas and contributing
to the pollution of the
environment by pouring
the used oil into the drains
of the bays which feed into
the Little Tallapoosa River.
The Department
attempts to assist students
Enforcement, gang
problems, criminal
investigations and much
more. This program is
held twice a year.
The Asera Care
Hospice was on hand
for students interested in
volunteering.
The Latinos United
of Carroll County was
seeking volunteers for
its Health Care Center,
Life Skills Education,
PESCA, ESL classed,
sexual education classes,
computer classes, and
citizenship education.
The scope of all
their programs is directed
towards local Latino
communities.
Photo by Josh Grubb
in their quest to arrive
on time to classes by
operating a small fleet of
mass transportation buses
on campus.
The University operates
two campus wide routes,
one clockwise and one
counterclockwise, which
completely encircle the
See PARKING, page 3
Vicki Hardin,assistant
director of Department
of Career Services, and
others from the department
were on hand directing
students to the tables and
addressing queries of
students and organization
representatives.
“We believe in making
students know what is
available. A lot of students
seem interested but do
not know about available
sources of volunteer
opportunities. Plus these
fairs are beneficial to the
organizations as well. This
is something students can
put on their resume, an
excellent avenue for job
searches,” Hardin said.