The Student Association Assembly rejected a proposal at the end of last semester from UB officials to ban freshmen from parking along the Academic Spine in the spring.
By a 17-2 vote, the Assembly called the plan unfair and used the rest of the meeting to draft a counter-proposal that was signed by Assembly Chair Hassan Shibly and SA Senate Chair Mazin Kased.
The results of the meeting were reported incorrectly in the Dec. 8 issue of The Spectrum.
The new Assembly proposal gives commuters year-round parking privileges on the Spine. It also bans on-campus residents from those lots between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., and improves on-campus public transportation for students who would no longer be driving to class from the dorms.
"We felt that this proposal was fairer and better and an all-around better solution," Shibly said.
SA President Anthony Burgio also signed the resolution, which means SA will now negotiate new rules with UB's Department of Parking and Transportation.
"Along with Anthony and Student Affairs, the Assembly will work to convince (Public Safety Director John) Grela to follow what's in the best interests of students," Shibly said.
Shibly said although the Assembly disagreed with the presentation by Grela, it was beneficial. "Their presentation cleared up a lot of misconceptions," he said.
According to Grela, no matter what plan is used the overall goal should be to "alleviate some of the congestion parkers find across the Spine."
Citing a research report done on UB's parking situation, Grela said that building more lots is out of the question because there are already enough parking spaces to accommodate all campus traffic.
Grela proposed a ban on freshmen parking near the Spine from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. To compensate for the sanctions, Grela proposed an increase in bus, shuttle and park-and-ride transportation on both campuses, as well as a publicity campaign for campus transit.
"One of the things we're doing with this proposal is changing the culture we have," he said. "We have juniors and seniors who see the buses but have no clue."
Some people at the meeting expressed concerns over the cost of more buses and drivers. Grela said that improvements in campus transit would demand more money, but added that the investment would be well worth it.
"We're trying to work it within our budget," he said. "We're not in a static situation."
Grela's proposal did not sit well with SA President Burgio.
"If you want to turn a freshman away from getting involved, enact this proposal," Burgio said. "I just think the freshman class is a dangerous place to target."
Burgio also warned the plan to add more buses and shuttle vans, which the Assembly is also considering in its proposal, would most likely impact undergraduates.
"It's going to cost students more out of their pockets," he said.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
