THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
VOTE AND RIDE
VOLUME 118 ISSUE 119
Students decide on transportation
Jessica Mortinger, Hays senior and Parking and Transit intern, right, talks with Mohamed Basic, Sarejavo, Bosnia, about signing a petition to charge all students $20 per semester through student fees instead of selling bus passes. Basic said he declined to sign the petition because he rarely uses the bus system. The new plan would make buses open to all students with a KUID.
BY ANDY GREENHAW agreenhaw@kansan.com
Jon Goering/KANSAN
The upcoming student referendum, scheduled for April 9 and 10, could feature three transportation proposals. Students will have the chance to vote on free bus rides, an expansion to Safe Ride's operating schedule, and maintaining the current number of KU busses.
All three proposals passed through the fee review board, the student rights committee and the senate finance committee Wednesday night, and if they pass through the full Student Senate next Wednesday, students will have the chance to decide for themselves.
Here's a breakdown of the proposals KU on Wheels and SafeRide are pushing through senate.
FREE BUS RIDES
PROPOSAL
Students would no longer need a $140 bus pass and all students and faculty would have free access to all KU busses. Four additional busses would operate.
If students pass this proposal, they will be able to ride any campus bus for free, but their transportation would increase $40.
Students who buy a $140 bus pass would each save $100 next year, but students who don't plan on riding the bus like Kirsten Oschwald, St. Louis junior, who lives in Jayhawk Towers, would still have to pay the $40 fee.
"I've been at KU for two-and-a-half years now and I've only been on the bus once," she said. "I would probably ride it more if it was free, but I definitely wouldn't want it added to my student fees."
Amanda Williams, Leavenworth senior, who has ridden the bus for five years, said she thinks universal access to busses would be worth the $40 fee.
"I would vote yes because $140 is a lot
of money and after being in school for five years like I have, it adds up," she said. "I'd rather pay $40 and not get a bus pass than pay $140 for a pass."
Donna Hultine, director of the KU Parking Department, said her department would also invest $1.4 million into the program, which she said would help decrease parking congestion on campus.
"I think it will benefit those who drive cars because hopefully more students will choose to take a bus to campus so parking lots should have plenty of space available." Hultine said in an e-mail. "They'll also be able to get around campus on free buses rather than trying to move and park their cars."
If the universal access program were to pass, KU Parking and Transit expects its annual revenue would increase $365,000. Jessica Mortinger, former KU transit coordinator who is now on the transit committee, said that amount would all be spent on operating more busses to account for the increase in riders.
According to statistics provided by the registrar's office and the KU Parking Department, 22 percent of the student body bought a bus pass this year.
Hultine said she expects the num
ber of students who ride busses would jump to 42 percent if students pass the bill.
The Parking Department and KU on Wheels based this projection off of research they've conducted at Iowa State and Texas A&M, which both saw a 20 percent rider increase when they adopted universal bus access programs.
SafeRide wants to start operating three cars at 7 p.m. and eliminate the Night Campus Express, which Jessica Mortinger, transit committee member, said students rarely use.
SafeRide would start at 7 p.m. instead of 10:30 p.m.
Current SafeRide fee:
SafeRide is asking students to pay $3 extra in fees next year in order to make this change happen. Students currently pay a $20 annual SafeRide fee.
$20 per year
Fee increase $3
New SafeRide
Fee:
$23 per year
Total KU services fee:
MAINTAIN CURRENT BUS OPERATIONS PROPOSAL
KU on Wheels needs more money
per year
$758 per year
KU on Wheels would continue to operate the current number of busses in its fleet.
Old transit fee
Fee increase:
$72 per year
$12.40
New transit fee:
$84.40
per year
Total KU services fee:
$767.40 per year
Where your student fees go
Every student currently pays $755 per year in student fees. If all three proposals were to pass, each student would pay $785 per year if all other service fees stayed the same..
Currently
If all three proposals pass
to keep up with increasing energy costs and it's asking students to help foot the bill.
If students want KU on Wheels to keep operating the current number of busses next year, students will have to pay an additional $12.40 per year in student fees.
The fee would have originally been $18 per year, but Wednesday night's fee review committee haggled it down to $12.40.
Jessica Mortinger, transit committee member, said that if students don't approve the fee, the department will have to cut down on the number of busses it currently operates while eliminating and rearranging some of its routes.
Another expense KU on Wheels will face is an upcoming contract change in December, which Mortinger said could be more expensive than the one it has now.
Details about the specific companies bidding for the contract are classified until December when the decision is made, but the five-year contract will deal with bus operations, maintenance and storage. The contract the department has now is with MV Transportation.
Edited by Jared Duncan
RELIGION
Two former Kansas football players and a former member of the Kansas City Chiefs have traded in their cleats for the chance to preach the Gospel to students. They use their experience from their football days to tie into their messages.
Ministry brings former athletes back to campus
FULL STORY PAGE 8A
FEES
Pass prices to remain same for next year
The price for the all-sports combo pass will remain at $150 for next year. The pass, which gives KU students tickets to every home football and men's basketball game, is the fourth cheapest-priced sports pass in the Big 12 Conference.
FULL STORY PAGE 8A
TRAVEL
Students have helped rebuild ravaged areas like Mississippi. They have also worked with the homeless and children. Students have had these opportunities through taking alternative breaks.
Alternative breaks offer unique trips nationwide
FULL STORY PAGE 4A
weather
59 36 Isolated T-Storms
FRIDAY
54 32
AM Clouds/PM Sun
55 43 Partly Cloudy
index
Classifieds...5B
Crossword...6A
Horoscopes...6A
Opinion...7A
Sports...1B
Sudoku...6A
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