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Parking, safety on SGA's summer agenda

Student Senate will also consider mascot adoption, commuter meal plan at its meeting Wednesday

By Matthew Shepherd
Senior Staff Writer

Safety, supplemental parking space and Shasta are all part of the agenda for the Student Government Association's second semimonthly Senate meeting of the summer, set for Wednesday evening in the University Center.

"There's a lot of things (to be covered)," SGA President Jon Quintanilla said.

The SGA Senate has been working with University administrators to alleviate congestion in parking lots. Recent talks have produced a plan calling for 825 additional parking spaces on campus by August, including 396 new spaces for Cougar Place residents -- a supplement Quintanilla said is much-needed.

The Senate will also discuss the state of, and possible improvements to, campus security. Concerns about lighting and the effectiveness of campus emergency call boxes inspired an after-dark bus tour of the campus by SGA officials and administrators Wednesday. Representatives from the group are expected to report on their findings and outline suggestions for improvement at this week's meeting.

Quintanilla said efforts are already under way to place more than 40 new security cameras in parking lots. The UH Police Department will monitor the cameras, which will be complimented in the new parking lots by adequate lighting and emergency call boxes.

Also on the agenda is a proposed meal plan for commuter students, an idea the SGA has been working on. "If you're a student and you want to buy a meal plan, you now have an option," Quintanilla said.

The Senate will also discuss recent negotiations with the Houston Zoo over adopting a mascot for the University. The zoo is asking $45,000 for the potential Shasta, and SGA is working to initiate a plan to finance the deal without charging students.

Quintanilla said he has already declined an offer from the University administration that would fund the adoption by adding 25 cents to student service fees.

"We want to do this, but we don't want students to have to pay for it," Quintanilla said.

At-large SGA Sen. Michael Graves is expected to introduce a bill designed to create non-smoking entrances to UH buildings. The goal is designating at least one entrance to each building as a no-smoking zone, with violators subject to a fine.

The SGA will also submit a bill to the provost mandating that student fees be charged prior to the disbursement of financial aid. The bill was inspired by a logistical glitch that caused students at the Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management to be unexpectedly charged $400 in student service fees at the end of the spring semester.

Wednesday's meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Mediterranean Room of the University Center Underground. For more information, call (713) 743-5220.
 

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