Maroon

              The MAROON Vol. 63, No. 5 Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118  September 21, 1984 City parking program creeps closer By Keith Magill The city's Residential Permit Parking Program has entered the Uptown university area, according to Marcia St. Martin, city parking administrator."What it [the RPPP] attempts to do is to find some kind of fair way to allocate the limited parking spaces around the university," District A Councilman Bryan Wagner said. To be eligible for the program, a block must not only have serious parking problems, but 80 percent of its ground level space must be residential, according to St. Martin. The city considers university, park and business property commercial, St. Martin said, adding that the RPPP will not affect curb space directly along Loyola property. The RPPP was designed to give neighborhood residents a better chance at parking near their homes. "There is no way, that I know of at least, that you can tell someone that they can't park in front of their own house," Wagner said. At least 51 percent of a block's residents must sign petitions before the program can be implemented. Residents who buy $15 permit decals will not be subject to two-hour parking limits within restricted zones. The program is now effective on Audubon Boulevard between Willow Street and South Claiborne Avenue, St. Martin said. The Upper Audubon area includes blocks bordered by St. Charles Avenue, Leake Avenue, Broadway and Walnut Street. The Upper St. Charles area includes blocks bordered by St. Charles Avenue, Broadway, and Leake Avenue. The Maple area includes blocks bordered by St. Charles Avenue, Willow Street, Broadway and South Carrollton Avenue. The Newcomb area includes Newcomb Boulevard from St. Charles Avenue to Freret Street. On Sept. 6, the City Council approved the RPPP for State Street between St. Charles Avenue and South Robertson Street, St. Martin said. The city will place signs in the area within 30 days, she added. During the program's first two weeks, cars parked without permits will be issued blue warning cards, St. Martin said. After that period, city parking officers will issue $15 tickets and after three violations within the same zone, a car may be immobilized, she added. Cars parked too close to fire hydrants or corners and those which block driveways or cause other safety hazards could be impounded, St. Martin said. St. Martin said four other Uptown neighborhoods have requested restricted parking. Wagner said the RPPP would increase parking turnover, helping both students and residents. "You can have one person park in a place for 10 hours or you can have five people use the space for two hours," he said. "What we have done is rationed the spaces for people who are using them on a short-term basis. In this way we feel that the same, if not more students will actually be finding parking spaces," he added. "I think it [RPPP] helps the overall student population by taking out that all day commuter parker," St. Martin said. She said the RPPP will reduce traffic congestion and competition for parking spaces and will also curb safety violations. About 75 percent of Loyola's students commute, according to Deborah Reid Bryant, director of the Center for Commuter Services. The center conducted a parking survey last October. Of the 167 commuters who responded, 65 percent had not heard of the RPPP. Students who want to get involved should attend RPPP public forums or city council meetings, she said. Local newspapers including The Times- Picayune/The States-Item and The Louisiana Weekly publish meeting dates, times and locations. Wagner said he only received one student letter concerning the RPPP and encouraged more student input. "The student that's going to go all day should look at the options of carpooling, ride sharing, off-campus kinds of parking or campus parking by buying a permit," St. Martin said. Wagner recommended public transit as a commuter alternative. Loyola offers no permanent oncampus parking for commuter students, according to Robert Reed, University Parking Committee chairman. Reed said Loyola had no definite plans to add commuter parking space. Students fill six offices in freshman elections By Sharon Wade Six students slid easily into freshman Student Government Association positions Tuesday and Wednesday, two without capturing a single vote. Tom Delahaye ran unopposed in the race for Law School representative. Because no College of Music freshmen running for representative met election qualifications, according to SGA Vice President Miles Faust, transfer student Laura June Frick was appointed. Theresa Crushshon received 28 votes of the 42 ballots cast (67 percent) to win in the College of Business Administration. With 169 ballots cast by freshmen in the College of Arts and Sciences, Mike Powell solidly landed his position with 125 votes (74 percent). Julie Madere received 101 votes (60 percent) and Michele Barrere received 86 votes (51 percent) to fill two other A&S seats. John Deveney and Charles Favrot vie for BA representative in the runoffs Tuesday and Wednesday. Laura Albers and Mary Gedney also battle for the remaining A&S position next week. Bill Hydrick, SGA parliamentarian, said voter turnout was rather high this semester. "Voter turnout was above the college national average which is 14 percent. We had 21 percent last spring, and 36 percent this time," Hydrick said. I Feel the way From left, Jane Harper, education freshman, and Olga Ann Wegmann, education sophomore, learn how to relate to the handicapped by simulating blindness as part of an education course. For related story on handicapped students at Loyola, see p. 2. —Photo by John McCusker