Letters to the editor

SGA does benefit students

Before you lift your fingers to type another letter to the editor about how the SGA is inadequate, I invite you to look around this campus. The work of SGA affects every one of you, whether you know it or not.

For example: the bridge behind Mr. Chips, new resident lot across from BW3’s, new HOV parking lot, night-time parking permit, FLEX off campus, registering the most students in the state of Virginia to vote in the 2004 election, corn dog nuggets at Dukes, Purple Out shirts, Ace and Mallory, Mr. Freshman Pageants, The Big Event, Mr. and Ms. Greek, Ring Premiere, blue lights, warning ticket system and free Breeze ads.

SGA sends students to Richmond to speak with legislators about issues facing JMU — this year we discussed the purchasing of RMH, supporting the university weapons policy, increasing student financial aid and absentee ballot reform. We made national headlines two years ago when we fought the Board of Visitors on their decision to take ECP away from the Health Center. We send students to city council meetings to help foster better relationships with the city. SGA has served as a starting place for new organizations, such as Saferides and Make Your Mark on Madison. We appoint students to university committees, where they have a say with administrators, on issues ranging from parking to GenEds.

The members in SGA are all dedicated students who want to better your JMU experience. Instead of complaining about SGA, why not do something about it — join. Help us to make the changes that you want to see.

Jenny Brockwell
senior, political science
SGA historian

No commuter parking unreasonable

In response to Mark Ehlers' letter in the April 7 edition of The Breeze, I, as a commuter, would like to agree wholeheartedly with what has been said. I live in Madison Manor, which is only about two miles from campus, and I ride my bike when I can. But I must admit that I can be lazy about it and should perhaps be forced to ride even in the rain and snow; after all, I’m sure that it will help me to build character. I should also add that I have no problems with taking the bus, which comes once every hour to my apartment complex. When I drive to campus, I really can’t help but feel just a little parasitic when I consider all of the other poor campus residents who must have to endure up to 15 minutes of walking to get where they need to go, whereas I can sometimes get away with a 10-minute drive and 10 minutes of walking. Overall, I can’t help but feel that it is a grave misfortune that those who live so much closer to their classrooms must have every obstacle thrown into their path when they desire to drive, so that their unbearable torture might be softened to a reasonable tone. This is ridiculous.

Ralph Herman
junior, ISAT

Proposal as absurd as Swift

Here is my conundrum. On the one hand, I always enjoy a good satirical essay, on the other hand, I just can’t bring myself to trust the average JMU undergrad to understand why the phrase "a modest proposal" always makes me think of cannibalizing Irish babies. Call me a cynic. Reading Mark Ehlers' letter in the April 7 edition of The Breeze proposing a ban on commuter parking, I don’t know whether to applaud an off-campus student’s craft and guile at relieving commuter parking congestion by adding fuel to the fire of commuter frustration, or to slap my head in bemusement at the myriad flaws in an letter written by a sincere, if ego-maniacal, on-campus senior. Finding a place to park is a problem I was very familiar with in my own senior year when I was living not just off-campus but well outside the student ghettos — like Stone Gate and Ashby Crossing — in Rawley Springs, roughly ten miles outside of Harrisonburg. I would frequently spend anywhere from 10 to 30 extra minutes looking for a parking space, after my 20-minute drive down Route 33. The free buses don’t run that far outside of the city, and biking to class was only an option if I had an hour to kill on the trip or if I didn’t mind arriving in a lather. This letter is written just well enough that it could be really well-written or fantastically moronic. My favorite part is when Ehlers, in his bid to garner more parking for the people that live 0.0 miles from campus at the expense of people that live distances between 0.1 miles and 20 miles, or substantially more — declared that "Most commuters live within easy walking or biking distance of campus. Not only would my plan combat the problem of parking on campus, but it would also encourage a healthier college lifestyle." In the very best satire you can never be sure if what you’re reading is serious or not. I would love a follow-up from Mark, maybe in his next letter he can explain to everyone that if the peasants don’t have enough bread we can always let them eat cake.

John Kuhn
alumnus ‘03

Residents should be doing the walking

In response to Mark Ehlers' letter in the April 7 edition of The Breeze regarding commuter parking, there are 2,299 residential spots on campus, which allow residents to park 24/7. This does not include various commuter lots, which residents can park in between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. Freshmen generally can’t have cars on campus, so how many residents does that leave? Assuming every non-explicitly freshman-reserved room is filled by upperclassmen, this would be about 3,800 residents. Are there 3,800 upperclassmen residents? No. That would be about one out of every three upperclassmen living on campus. At most, there are 1,500 upperclassmen living on campus. This leaves a surplus of 800 spots, assuming every person has a car. Throw in a few freshmen that are allowed to have cars, and you have a few hundred extra spots for residents. Now, what are residents using their cars for, compared to commuters? Residents typically use their cars for driving home during breaks and for errands around Harrisonburg. Commuters typically have their cars on campus for one reason: to go to class. Residents are all within a 10-minute walk of every building on campus. Commuters can be as far as an hour or an hour-and-a-half drive from campus. Not all commuters live in Harrisonburg. All residents obviously do. Buses also do not cover every possible location in the ‘Burg. Residents chose to live on campus for convenience, price and ease. Why are you driving on campus anyway? Why don’t you walk? You’ll be healthier.

Josh Madagan
senior, computer science

Don’t generalize commuters

In response to Mark Ehlers' piece about removing commuter parking on campus, I would like to voice a few points. First, I agree that parking on campus is an issue. I also agree that many commuters live within easy walking and biking distance of campus. However, Ehlers failed to consider commuters whose circumstances require transportation alternatives to walking, biking, carpooling or buses. For example, I live in a town home more than a mile from campus. I have a fast-paced walk and yet it still takes me 20 to 25 minutes to walk to my classroom due to traffic. Weather conditions can also hinder this method of transportation. Furthermore, I work at a location on campus that requires me to arrive at 6:15 a.m. and 6:45 a.m. twice a week. The first bus arrives at my house at 7:35 a.m., which is a tad too late. Many commuters have on-campus commitments that require travel to and from campus at odd times during the day. Bus schedules cannot always meet these needs. True, said commuters could arrive extra early, but that is not always an option. Also, students with off-campus jobs often leave straight from class, with no time to ride home to get their car. JMU commuters could save gas and exercise a bit more. But don’t overlook those of us who have a genuine need to drive to school. As you live on campus, with every bus route available to you, why do you even need a car? Take your own advice, take the bus.

Ellie Loveman
senior, TSC