Test program will limit freshman resident parking on Spine

Effective next fall, a test program will ban freshmen who live on campus from parking along the Spine from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to Student Association officials at an SA Assembly meeting Tuesday.

According to Paul Balzano, director of SA student affairs, the program is a compromise on a measure suggested last fall. Originally, the Parking and Transportation Department proposed banning both freshman commuters and residents.

"It doesn't seem to make sense to ban freshmen commuters from parking on the Spine because when you're a commuter, your car is your life," Balzano said. "It just really didn't seem fair to relegate new students to the outer lots like that. Plus, we already have transportation services in place that make it easier for residents to get around without using their cars."

Balzano said the pilot program is a way for UB to test out different solutions to the ongoing parking problem.

"We originally passed a resolution suggesting that the school ban all (on-campus) residents from parking on the Spine, but that would have been a bit drastic," Balzano said. "With this program, we can see how effective it is and if we should extend the ban to other on-campus residents. And if it doesn't work, we can just try something else next year."

Also addressed at the meeting was the recent proposal to increase SUNY tuition. Balzano said right now, the tuition increase is slated as $500 for all students, but it's up to the state legislature to decide the final amount.

Along with the increase, Balzano said there is also a proposal to lock in tuition amounts for incoming students. The program, referred to as tuition guarantee, would ensure that incoming freshmen would pay the same rate of tuition for the term of their degree. Each class of incoming freshmen, however, would end up paying more for tuition than the last.

SA Assembly Chair Hassan Shibly said the Assembly's main concern is the guarantees.

"We feel that it's the state's responsibility to still pay their part and support the SUNY system, so we want guarantees that tuition isn't going to increase every year," Shibly said. "Basically, we want to make sure we don't get screwed over."

Balzano called the tuition program a great idea, but said there are a few drawbacks.

"When the state runs into a budget crisis again, which could realistically be next year, the new state legislature can undo whatever the previous legislature has done. Basically, there's no real guarantee here," Balzano said. "The only guarantee is that this is a deal that will be made with the public, and the state probably won't want to go back on a deal they've made with the public. But, there's always the chance that they will."

Student opinion on the proposal is mixed.

"Each class of incoming freshmen would end up paying more for tuition than the last, and that's not fair," said Wilson To, a freshman undecided major. "Everybody should pay the same amount for their education. You shouldn't have to pay more just because you were born a year later."

Balzano stressed there is no guarantee the proposals will go into effect.

"There's no guarantee that this will actually happen," Balzano said. "But we would rather have a plan where we know what we're going to pay and that we know is going to protect the students of this university."