Two recent Student Council initiatives share the same problem: both treat the symptoms instead of the disease. When Council identifies a problem at the University, it should not just create a superficial solution that does little to effect real change. It must instead address the source of the problem to have a meaningful impact on the lives of students.
Council recently announced an agreement reached with Parking and Transportation to extend the time period in which students could park at the Newcomb Parking Garage for a flat rate of one dollar. Council has been working on this project since last semester, originally proposing free late-night parking for students. In the end, it made only a small gain for students: the one-dollar rate will start at 10 p.m. instead of 12 a.m. The time and energy put into this project could have been used to improve Safe Ride, a late-night transportation solution available to everyone, or to fundraise for the FreeRide program, which will likely face funding shortages should Council decide to make the program permanent.
Council President John Nelson said Council has been in continuous talks with University Police Chief Michael Gibson and others about improving Safe Ride. Nelson also said the late-night parking program is not costing Council or students, so no money has been lost to this endeavor. Nelson acknowledged one problem with the late night parking initiative is that few students know about it and therefore are unlikely to use it. A strong publicity campaign will be needed to ensure that students take advantage of the program, especially during exams. Had students known about the flat rate for late-night parking prior to Council taking on this initiative, it is likely fewer students would have complained about the lack of late-night parking options in the first place. Council could have spent time working toward raising awareness about the existing late-night parking options, but instead spent months working for free late-night parking.
Council has also started an off-Grounds housing scholarship fund for low-income students. Because the scholarship will only help six students, however, Council would have been better served by lobbying the University for changes in on-Grounds housing. On-Grounds housing options are often small and cramped, or if not, significantly further away from Central Grounds than many off-Grounds locations. On-Grounds housing is also not available to students who are not taking classes during the summer. These reasons can cause students to prefer off-Grounds locations, either because they want to stay in Charlottesville during the summer, or so they do not have to move several times a year. If Council worked with the University to improve on-Grounds housing so that more students wanted to live on Grounds, it would have a wider and more substantial impact, especially on low-income students in the University community.
Council has good intentions when it sets out to address students’ concerns. But if Council wishes to enact significant improvements across Grounds, it needs to start with the root of the problem.
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