2008 Woodie Awards
USG looks for parking spaces
By: Kristen Vasas
Issue date: 3/26/08 Section: In Focus
Making a difference on the BGSU campus has been the mission of Undergraduate Student Government since the organization was founded. The members of the student government make it their concern to resolve any problems that students face.
And though many of the issues brought to the attention of USG are resolved, some have proven to be too much for the hard-working senators representing the student body.
"The issues with parking and shuttle buses have been major concerns brought to USG for at least the past 15 to 20 years," USG Vice President Nick Gamero said. "Mike Sears, the president from 1991, has told us that it was one of the biggest issues facing his presidency, and I'd say it's still one that affects us now."
According to Gamero, USG has held parking forums under previous presidents in order to try and resolve the issue. But because no progress was made after the forums, student officials have consistently been told by administration that the issue was a dead one.
For the current student government, being told to give up on an issue was something many of the senators were unwilling to do, Gamero said.
"The best intentions were put into [resolving the issue] in previous governments, but nothing was ever accomplished," he said. "We were told not to get involved, but we decided to go ahead and do it anyway."
And regardless of faculty outlooks, USG was able to make advancements on the parking issues facing students for the first time in many years.
The current government has created a shuttle ad-hoc committee which will work to not only revamp the shuttle systems, but also improve the quality and condition of the lots on campus.
According to Alexis Kollay, one of the senators involved with the ad-hoc committee, the group is proposing a number of changes which could begin as soon as the fall semester of 2008.
One of these changes would include a proposal that the Parking and Traffic Office alter the north shuttle route in order to include downtown stops. In order to keep the shuttle running for the same amount of time it is now, the committee is suggesting taking out less prominent stops so downtown ones could be added, Kollay said.
And though many of the issues brought to the attention of USG are resolved, some have proven to be too much for the hard-working senators representing the student body.
"The issues with parking and shuttle buses have been major concerns brought to USG for at least the past 15 to 20 years," USG Vice President Nick Gamero said. "Mike Sears, the president from 1991, has told us that it was one of the biggest issues facing his presidency, and I'd say it's still one that affects us now."
According to Gamero, USG has held parking forums under previous presidents in order to try and resolve the issue. But because no progress was made after the forums, student officials have consistently been told by administration that the issue was a dead one.
For the current student government, being told to give up on an issue was something many of the senators were unwilling to do, Gamero said.
"The best intentions were put into [resolving the issue] in previous governments, but nothing was ever accomplished," he said. "We were told not to get involved, but we decided to go ahead and do it anyway."
And regardless of faculty outlooks, USG was able to make advancements on the parking issues facing students for the first time in many years.
The current government has created a shuttle ad-hoc committee which will work to not only revamp the shuttle systems, but also improve the quality and condition of the lots on campus.
According to Alexis Kollay, one of the senators involved with the ad-hoc committee, the group is proposing a number of changes which could begin as soon as the fall semester of 2008.
One of these changes would include a proposal that the Parking and Traffic Office alter the north shuttle route in order to include downtown stops. In order to keep the shuttle running for the same amount of time it is now, the committee is suggesting taking out less prominent stops so downtown ones could be added, Kollay said.
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