AWA R D-W INNING CENTR A LR ECOR DER .COM Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Central Connecticut State University
Volume 107 No. 21
Police Say Speedy Manafort Drive Not Out Of Control dAvId whITNEy The Recorder
Paul Manafort Drive is less than a mile long but lately its safety has been under scrutiny due to recent activity that’s left campus police busy. The road that runs along the south side of CCSU has seen its share of speeders over the years, but when taking a closer look, the numbers might reveal a different story. According to the CCSU police department there has been 102 infractions and citations, 16 accidents and 39 arrests on Paul Manafort Drive over the past year. Although the campus police say that the road carries far less traffic on it daily than Ella Grasso Boulevard, another stretch of road commonly used by CCSU commuters and passers-by, recent incidents including two pedestrians being struck by vehicles in the last four months have now brought on more concern. According to the campus police there were around 96 accidents recorded around the campus in 2010. Paul Manafort Drive accounted for 17 percent of these reported accidents, a number that according to the police isn’t out of control. Vivian Martin, a journalism professor at CCSU, was one of those hit by a vehicle. The incident occurred around 6:40 p.m. on Dec. 2 of last year on Paul Manafort Drive while Martin, who wasn’t walking alone, trailed a few students crossing the road towards the Paul Manafort parking lot. She says the memory is still vivid in her mind, and whenever she thinks about that day, it’s “darkening.” “I saw the car coming and was like, ‘My god, this car is going to hit me,” said Martin. Martin suffered a shattered tibia and came away with several cuts and bruises. She had to miss some class time but was back in the
dAvId whITNEy | ThE RECORdER
According to the CCSU police department, accidents on Paul Manafort Drive accounted for 17 percent of all reported campus accidents. classroom for the beginning of the spring 2011 semester. Martin was persistent in saying that all pedestrians and drivers need to be careful. She also wished for more officers to patrol the area, but in fairness said that she has seen campus police near the road.
“The road sign says Manafort Drive, not Manafort Speedway,” said Martin. Along with many others who travel the road regularly, Martin was unsure why people like to speed so much on the road. “Maybe it’s the curve of the road and how it wraps around James Hall,” Martin said.
Kimberly Tyrseck, 23, was struck and critically injured on the road in February and continues to recover from the incident. Her current condition was unavailable. Several individuals have taken notice of MANAFORT | CONT. ON 2
Heading Into New Decade, CCSU Plans for the Future Master Plan Includes Facility Upgrades
MATT CLybuRN The Recorder
The campus committee tasked with formulating the university’s 10-year master plan has met for the first time and will soon release a schedule of future meeting dates. The committee, co-chaired by Provost Carl Lovitt and Chief Administrative Officer Richard Bachoo, will begin developing the plan as part of a long-term initiative to update campus facilities and expand upon goals set during the late 1990’s. Committee meeting dates and a formal process for corresponding with the committee will be announced soon. Other members of the committee include faculty, CCSU alumni, representatives from the New Britain community, a campus police officer and the university’s chief financial officer. The statement also said that additional members of the CCSU community may
be asked to meet with the committee and representatives of the consulting team to provide background information and logistical support when needed. A statement from the committee co-chairs identified two consulting firms that will help in various development stages of the master plan, Paulien & Associates, Inc. of Denver, and Symmes, Maini & McKee Associates of Boston. Paulien & Associates, Inc. will assist in the creation of the program report which will include “all present and foreseeable academic and non-academic requirements,” while SMMA will identify possible areas of facility development and byways for pedestrian and vehicle traffic, among other things. “With the implementation of the master plan, we are in the midst of our boldest step as we embark on a great period of change and FACILITIES | CONT. ON 2
Strategic Plan Will Reach Out to Community MATT CLybuRN The Recorder
Work groups are now in the process of holding regular meetings in an effort to carry out the university’s strategic plan initiative aimed at stimulating community engagement. The groups are a component of the Central Connecticut 2020 movement that is comprised of leaders in business, government, nonprofits and education from New Britain, West Hartford, Farmington, Newington, Bristol, Berlin, Hartford and other towns across the region. Leading the charge is a former state representative from New Haven, Bill Dyson, who holds the Governor William A. O’Neill Endowed Chair at CCSU, and other members of the Department of Public Policy and Social Research. In October a conference with more
than 60 members of the community from a variety of fields was held. Kenneth Barone, a coordinator of the project and a colleague of Dyson’s, told The Recorder that the discussion was broad. Dyson partnered with the community engagement office and the provost’s office to create three working groups for each of the three areas of focus: education, the economy and energy. The purpose of these working groups is to flush out what projects need to be worked on and where CCSU can add value. “Community engagement plays an integral role in defining CCSU’s distinctive mission,” said a statement from the strategic planning committee. “CCSU’s faculty and students also contribute to community engagement through service learning, volunteerism and community-based scholarship.” PLAN | CONT. ON 2
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