New Parking ‘Still Moving Forward’

Sign to event parking at The University of Texas at Tyler. (Source: James Hescock)

University administration is still on track to recover the old parking lot by Ritter Tower, according to Chief Business Officer Dwain Morris who spoke to faculty senate Jan. 18. "We’re continuing to move forward with our parking projects," he said. Administration converted a parking lot by Ritter Tower to a green space in 2019, but announced plans this fall to recover these spaces to meet parking demand.

Some student government senators expressed opposition to the project last fall, citing its impact on the campus aesthetic, but SGA has not taken formal action against the effort.

Provost Amir Mirmiran followed Morris’ presentation with an update on efforts to pursue rearranging class schedules to alleviate what he called "artificial demand" for parking. He said rescheduling may resolve parking demand “so that we don’t have to worry about investing in additional parking lots beyond what we are already committed to." He also said, hopefully, "we don’t have to change the beautiful campus that we have by adding additional parking lots." Mirmiran said it may reduce demand by 15 to 20 percent, down from the 30 percent he first estimated.

Comments

Editorial: Three Types of Campus Activism Work

(Source: "Justin Whelan" by Kate Ausburn via Flickr ) Within the university context, there are three communities: students, faculty and staff. However, once one has a basic understanding of how these communities work together to govern the university (a.k.a., the "shared governance" model), then one can still find it difficult to identify how one can participate in shaping the university to reflect his values. Therefore, this article will introduce three types of activism work that I have noticed in my years observing campus activity. I hope these types will illuminate a path for the reader of greater participation within his campus community and towards influencing the institution for his values. So without further adieu, let us introduce the three basic forms of campus activism. In my observation of campus advocacy over the years, I have noticed three types of campus activism: compliance work, legislative work and public education work. An effe...

OPINION: I Will Promote Nursing Students’ Mental Health

(Logo. Source: Student Government Association at UT-Tyler.) Freshman Victoria Okafor delivered this speech to student government on Jan. 30. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to address you today as I present my case for why I should be voted in as the School of Nursing Senator. It is an honor to stand before you, representing not only myself but also the aspirations, concerns, and ambitions of our esteemed nursing student body. As a nursing student, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges and triumphs that we encounter on a daily basis. We dedicate ourselves to a demanding curriculum that requires perseverance, compassion, and critical thinking. However, amidst the rigorous academic demands, it is essential that our voices are heard and our needs are addressed. This is where effective representation becomes paramount. If elected as your School of Nursing Senator, I will commit myself wholeheartedly to advocating for the rights and welfare of all nursing students. I firmly...

Editorial: Introduction to The Shared Governance Model

(''Court Gavel - Judge's Gavel - Courtroom'' by wp paarz via Flickr) In my previous articles, I gave a broad overview the university’s governance system and recently introduced the three main stakeholder groups within the university environment: faculty, students and staff. I wrote before about how a student who understands the university governance environment can participate in it to his own benefit. To understand how these stakeholder groups interact together, let us now discuss The Shared Governance Model of higher education. The Shared Governance Model (or “shared governance”) is a philosophy of university governance in which the university’s governing board (in our case, The Board of Regents) heavily relies upon the advice and counsel of the three stakeholder groups to govern the university. In shared governance, the board gives each group (or constituency) authority to advise the board on matters of the constituency’s expertise. For ex...

Patriot Weekly

Search This Blog