Student Parking Services beginning of NGCSU Public Safety initiatives

By Josh Bugosh, NG '07

	Student Parking Services workers, senior Jason Voght on the Segway, an electronic scooter, and freshman Michael Springer, enforce parking space usage.

DAHLONEGA (Feb. 12, 2007) – Watching a student walk up to a vehicle, take a look at the license plate and put a parking citation on the windshield may seem unusual, but that is part of a new Public Safety program on campus at North Georgia College & State University called Student Parking Services.

Three students are in the pilot program this semester patrolling parking zones while not in class. They ensure cars are parked in their designated parking spaces. The students write citations for those that are not. The combined student workload is 40 hours a week. The university’s purchase of a two-wheeled motorized Segway allows students to cover more parking areas, with the electronic human transporter.

Auxiliary Services funds Student Parking Services and is using the revenue generated from parking citations for other student services.

Michael Ramsey, Public Safety’s training coordinator, said that many colleges have similar programs.

The new program allows public safety officers to focus on service calls they receive, such as reports of theft or harassment complaints, instead of writing parking tickets.

“The purpose is also to give students better service at a minimal cost,” Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety Mike Stapleton said.

Another Public Safety initiative is a transport service for students who don’t feel safe walking on campus at night. A grant from the U.S. Office on Violence against Women is pending approval to fund the program.

Next semester, Public Safety will include faculty and students in a project called “Team NG.” Team members will help during special events by directing traffic in parking zones and throughout the campus.

Ramsey hopes that these changes will foster a better relationship between Public Safety and students.

“I think this will be a benefit in the long run. This is important because it is students helping students,” he said. “We’re starting out small with Student Parking Services, but we’ve got to open up communications.”

This page last modified on: Monday, 12 February 2007 04:15:16 -0500 by University Relations    

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