Hundreds more LimeBikes headed to NC State

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TECHNICIAN

PAGE 3 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2018

Hundreds more LimeBikes headed to NC State

EMMA DIMIG/TECHNICIAN A LimeBike sits outside of Metcalf Residence Hall in the evening of Sept. 3. By using their NC State email address, NC State students and employees can ride LimeBikes at a rate of $0.50 per 30-minute ride.

Kennedy McCutchen

Assistant News Editor

Two hundred LimeBikes will be brought to campus in the coming weeks, half of which will include new electric assistance in order to make pedaling easier for riders. After 300 were introduced this past August, LimeBikes have been used by about 14,500 people on campus and have saved over 870 gallons in gas.

Currently, NC State students and employees are eligible to receive half off the $1 cost per 30 minutes of use with their NC State email. However, according to Sarah Williams, alternative transportation program manager, the price may go up with the addition of the new electric feature.

“Out of the 200 bikes, 100 of them are going to be electric assist, so it’s essentially pedal assist,” Williams said. “When you’re going up a hill, it helps you get up there. I’m not sure what the pricing is going to be on that, but it is going to be probably a little bit more expensive than the regular 50 cents per half hour.”

William attributes the LimeBike success to a community eager for cycling.

“I think that having LimeBikes on campus has shown that Raleigh really wants to have a bike share,” William said. “It shows that we are excited about cycling and want to do it more and have more resources to be able to do it.”

Williams discussed the convenient benefits that LimeBikes can offer to students.

“It can help you get around to class easier,” Williams said. “You can just ride over to class instead of having to walk, which is really nice. If you took a LimeBike over to the grocery store then you’re saving on gas and things like that.”

Use of LimeBikes has also been estimated to reduce 17,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, due to savings in gas.

“We’re really passionate about sustainability at NC State, so anything to reduce the amount of cars that are driving around on campus is always going to be beneficial,” said Williams.

Samantha Lenger, a first-year studying management and the university brand manager for LimeBike, previously served as a student ambassador for the company after applying through an internship.

“I really love the combination between doing marketing and doing it for something sustainable that you believe in,” said Lenger, who lives in the EcoVillage on campus.

Lenger, who uses a LimeBike daily to get to class, is responsible for Limebike partnerships, programs and events on campus.

“I use them every single day,” Lenger said. “I’ve gotten into the habit of taking them to my classes. It’s really an integral part of my day. They cut my travel time in about a third, and they make it so much easier for someone who’s so busy.”

Lenger is also excited for the addition of the electric assist feature, which she says will help her when she moves next semester.

“I’m planning to live on Centennial Campus next year and getting up the hill to go to Centennial will make it so much easier,” Lenger said. “And it’ll reduce the traffic so much with public transportation.”

Not all students have tried out the green bikes. Grace Barnhill, a first-year studying applied mathematics, has never used a LimeBike, but feels the price is fair if you are looking to get around.

“I’ve sometimes thought about [riding a LimeBike], but I’m a really clumsy person so riding bikes wouldn’t work for me,” Barnhill said. “Maybe for fun, but not for getting around campus.”

LimeBikes have not only been used for transportation purposes, but have been frequently placed on top of miscellaneous buildings, including Sullivan Residence Hall, Bragaw Residence Hall and Fountain Dining Hall.

“It’s definitely a safety issue,” Williams said. “Not just for the students that are putting them on top of buildings or entries, but also for the LimeBike staff having to get them down, or sometimes the campus police or facilities have to help with that as well. Obviously, we prefer that they stay on the ground, and hopefully they are parked on a bike rack and out of the way.”

One hundred bikes are expected to arrive in January, while the additional hundred will be arriving later in February.

EMMA DIMIG/TECHNICIAN Outside of Owen Residence Hall on Sept. 3, a LimeBike is seen parked among other bicycles. By using their NC State email address, NC State students and employees are able to ride LimeBikes at a rate of $0.50 per 30-minute ride.

News

TECHNICIAN

PAGE 4 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2018

Living and Learning Villages offer variety of communities to students

HANNAH SHEA/TECHNICIAN Members of the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Village learn about living sustainably from Meghan Teten, the EcoVillage director in Lee Hall on Tuesday. Everyone who attended the event ate pizza on reusable plates while learning ways they can incorporate sustainability into their lives.

Georgia Burgess

Correspondent

The Living and Learning Villages at NC State give students an enrichment opportunity in on-campus housing that provides students with an environment where they can live and connect with others that share their same interests or experiences.

There are 16 different Living and Learning Villages with focuses spanning service, academic, and experiential topics. Chester Miller, director of Living and Learning Initiatives for the Division of Academic and Student Affairs discussed how the Living and Learning Villages can have important benefits for students.

“Living and Learning Villages are residential communities designed for students who are interested,” Miller said. “If they have shared interests, common values to live together, learn together and grow together while they are attending classes here at NC State.”

The Living and Learning Villages are a way for students to enhance their time here on campus by providing each resident with a community of like-minded individuals. Karan Malhotra, a third-year studying mechanical engineering, has lived in the Impact Leadership Village for the past two years and currently serves as the president.

“Living in a village, you have a second home,” Malhotra said. “You have different experiences that you would have never even hoped of.”

Each village organizes various events and programs for the residents throughout the year to encourage interaction between students and to emphasize the central ideas of that village. According to Miller, the villages offer their residents “high-impact activities, events, and programs that are designed for students to broaden their experiences in the theme of that particular village.”

Jenna Nabors, a first-year studying communication, is an active member of the University Scholars Program and lives in the Scholars Village.

“My favorite experience with the Scholars Village are the VIA events,” Nabors said. “Because then you get to know a closer community and you also get scholars forum credit for the events you go to.”

Village in Action (VIA) groups are small groups organized within the village that encourage interpersonal interaction and allow members to participate in both on- and off-campus trips. The villages are made to appeal to a broad array of students who are seeking out ways to grow and learn beyond their academic classes.

“Some are connected to academic colleges,” Miller said. “Some that are sponsored, if you will, by units on campus that are non-academic, and then we have others that are more thematic, and so we provide a wide variety of options for the students to choose from based on their interests.”

Additionally, the villages are open to all students. The application to apply to a village for the upcoming fall semester, which is due this coming Friday, is available through MyPack Portal. According to Miller, this is a deadline for students who are not currently in a village.

“We have a few of our Living and Learning offerings that accept rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors,” Miller said. The full list of villages with their descriptions is available on NC State University Housing website.