OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY CORVALLIS, OREGON 97331
The Daily Barometer
DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 541-737-3191
DAILYBAROMETER
WEDNESDAY APRIL 9, 2014 VOL. CXVI, NO. 111
@BARONEWS, @BAROSPORTS, @BAROFORUM
Campus, city implement parking proposals n
University administrators, TAPS use community feedback as reference point for final parking zone, fee adjustments
n
City council approves residential parking districts, asks university for funding By Emma-Kate Schaake THE DAILY BAROMETER
By Sean Bassinger
Corvallis City Council approved the expansion of residential parking Prices and zone parameters for districts during Monday’s council Oregon State University’s new parking meeting. system are official after conducting Councilors unanimously voted to various surveys and outreach efforts approve the recommendation from for feedback last term. the Urban Services Committee. The University administrators, workplan will expand the current three ing with Transit & Parking Services, parking districts into seven zones suraddressed the rounding the Oregon State University See page 4 matter after a campus. There will still be two-hour for a map of series of input, free parking, once a day in each the campus which revealed district. parking students strugzones and gled to find parkResidential permits will be available final prices. ing spots. In some based on lot size with one permit for cases, students every 2,500 square feet, but a twohave even said they’re willing to pay permit minimum per household. more for parking if it gave them a better An unexpected twist to the plan chance of finding parking. adoption was an amendment from “Not surprisingly, folks have lots Councilwoman Penny York, which of opinions,” said Steve Clark, vice stipulates city negotiations with OSU JUSTIN QUINN| THE DAILY BAROMETER for university funding in this new president of university relations and marketing. “People do think the park- The Reser lot is mostly empty during weekdays and non-gamedays. With the new plan, implemented in fall, district. This is in line with weeks of public permits to park here, in zone C, will be $95 per year. See PARKING | page 4 testimony in which many residents expressed frustration with the current system, blaming OSU for insufficient on-campus parking. Steve Clark, OSU’s vice president for marketing and relations, did not know about the possibility of this amendment until the Corvallis GazetteTimes newspaper contacted him late n Monday night. “I was surprised and disappointed,” Clark said. By Tori Hittner Clark has been heavily involved with THE DAILY BAROMETER Collaboration Corvallis, and the task Recreational sports director Tom Kirch will forces involved with parking and trafbegin his last day of work this summer in the fic since the collaboration’s instigation same way he started his very first one: excited more than two years ago. and inspired. “We’ve had more than 60 meetings “I said that I hope my last day of my career on parking and traffic over the past will be just like that first day,” Kirch said. “And it two-and-a-half years, and this was the will be. Every day, I can’t wait to come to work; I first time that this has been brought can’t remember any days where I didn’t want to.” up to my knowledge,” Clark said. “I Beginning July 1, Kirch will officially move think it’s important that the council on to the next chapter in his life, retiring from and university sit down and talk about his long-standing position as OSU’s director of the past present and future, and not recreational sports. Kirch came to OSU in 1986 surprise each other.” after working for Washington State University. This city approval came on the When Kirch first took over the fledgling same day that OSU presented a final recreational sports program, the department Tori Hittner | THE DAILY BAROMETER campus parking plan to the public in only maintained two full-time professionals, six an effort to redistribute traffic from Recreational sports director Tom Kirch will be retiring this summer after more than three decades of the more populated north end, to the See KIRCH | p age 4 service to the university. underutilized south Reser Stadium lots. The new plan is comprised of seven zones for commuters and two for residence halls. Highly sought after north campus lots, designated zone A, will cost $495 annually, while zone B will THE DAILY BAROMETER A 30-minute version of the film, shown at OSU programs, helped sponsor the event at OSU. be $330 and zone C will run a signifi“We hope the film will help us better understand cantly reduced $95. Current parking The story of two boys shows the issues they and Corvallis High School, will precede a panel dispermits for all areas of campus cost their middle-class African American families face, cussion about the black male’s experience in a some of the issues surrounding the black male $195 for students annually. whether with parenting, education, class, race or predominately white school. The event will take achievement gap as it exists in our community,” place April 14 at 4 p.m. in the theater. said Felicia Reid-Metoyer in an OSU press release. opportunity. In an effort to change the amount Reid-Metoyer is a faculty member in the College A full screening will begin at 7 p.m. in the Milam of single car commuting to campus, Filmmaker Michele Stephen and her partner folof Education and one of the organizers of the there will be a 35 percent discount on low their son, Idris, and his best friend, Oluwaseun Hall auditorium, on Oregon State University’s events. campus April 15. Afterward, Stephen will have permits for carpool vehicles of more “Seun” Summers, as they make their way through “In particular, we would like for the two-day than three passengers. OSU plans to school, beginning in kindergarten and ending with an opportunity to answer questions from the event to advance the discussion as it relates to audience. expand the hours and presentation high school graduation. teachers, administrators, and staff who work with of OSU’s on-campus shuttle. Both events are free and open to the public. The award-winning documentary, “American underrepresented minorities in Corvallis and other Emma-Kate Schaake Promise,” and filmmaker are set to come to The College of Education and the Division of local schools,” Reid-Metoyer said. City reporter Corvallis next week. Student Affairs, with other support from varying managing@dailybarometer.com THE DAILY BAROMETER
Tom Kirch leaves legacy of leadership behind him
Rec sports director’s impact will be felt long after his retirement this summer
Award-winning documentary to screen in Corvallis next week
managing@dailybarometer.com
This week in campus history
News, page 2
Gymnastics sending 3 to nationals Sports, page 5
Decoding the Gilbert Hall symbols
Forum, page 7