The Associated Students’ University Affairs Board met with San Diego State’s Environment and Safety Committee to propose a marketing campaign that would advocate the use of alternative methods of transportation on campus. The campaign proposes a trial period this fall that would determine the feasibility and safety of allowing additional wheeled transportation devices to share SDSU’s bicycle lanes. These additional devices would include skateboards, longboards, rollerblades, scooters and other similar vehicles. Use of these vehicles is currently not allowed on campus. A.S. Vice President of University Affairs Mina Azim led Tuesday’s presentation.
“Students were almost set up for failure during the original trial period, because they weren’t aware of what the rules were,” Azim said. “This campaign aims to create a culture shift toward safety within students who use alternative methods of transportation.”
The proposal also calls for the creation of an Alternative Transportation Advisory Committee within the Green Love Sustainability Advisory Board. This committee would be responsible for informing the campus community about rules and regulations regarding alternative transportation, as well as advising campus police about bicycle lane enforcement issues. Students on the committee would aid in enforcing new campus safety regulations to supplement current staffing issues within campus police.
Dr. Jenny Quintana, associate professor of environmental health in SDSU’s Graduate School of Public Health, chairs the Environment and Safety Committee.
“Our main concern is pedestrian safety and protecting the learning environment,” Quintana said. “We’re really pleased on the students’ focus on trying to do peer outreach and education on transportation safety.”
The committee reconvenes next month to reach a decision on the proposal. If passed, the proposal would move to the University Senate and a recommendation could be made to SDSU President Elliot Hirshman to legalize skateboarding and other modes of alternative transportation on campus.
