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Vol. XCI No. 5
Thursday, September 22, 2011
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Parking fees to pay SLU expenses Chea+ter’s set to Rates increase in effort to cover costs for budgetary items
make changes By JONATHAN ERNST Editor-In-Chief
Parking: By the Numbers Faculty & Staff
Students
2010 Regular 2010 Preferred
$46.67/month $69.17/month
2010 On-Campus $255/semester 2010 Off-Campus $200/semester
2011 Regular 2011 Preferred
$51.67/month $76.67/month
2011 On-Campus 2011 Off-Campus
$280/semester $220/semester
Source: Parking and Card Services
Shah (Yuqing Xia) / Photo Editor
The Seattle Lot, like every other lot in SLU’s possession, is maintained through revenue from parking fees. By PATRICK OLDS Associate News Editor
This semester’s increases in the rates for parking permits have motivated students and faculty to seek a resolution to some unanswered questions concerning where the increase in funds are specifically allocated. According to the Director of Parking and Card Services Ann Gioia and the Vice President of Facilities Management and Civic Affairs Kathleen Brady, the increase in revenue will go towards supporting other budget items not specifically related to the Department of Parking and Card Services. “If there is a surplus from the parking permits, that surplus goes into a pot for the University,” Brady said. “Sometimes Parking and Card Services will get that money back to make improvements to existing lots or to acquire new ones, but sometimes it will go to other areas of the University that are financially deficient.” The monthly faculty and staff rates rose from $46.67 to
$51.67 for general parking and were approved this past July, from $69.17 to $76.67 for pre- while the rise in semester ferred parking. Students who permit parking was decided live on campus saw the price in early August. go from $255 to $280, and for According to Chris Recommuters it rose from $200 gan, vice president of serto $220. vice operations, the decision “We make a concerted ef- to raise the rates of the daily fort to keep prices low at SLU and event parking was recomwhile still mended by trying to rethe Parking main above and Transthe curve por tation in relation If there is a sur- A d v i s o r y to new faCommitcilities and plus from the parking tee in early u p d a t e d permits, that surplus July. Howtechnology,” ever, the goes into a pot for the PTAC recBrady said. The pay- University. ommended ment for in Februparking ary not to used to be -Kathleen Brady increase included the rates into tuition for faculty, until 1999. Students would pay staff and students. for parking, even if they were “The hourly, daily and not utilizing it, and they were event parking increase was subsidizing faculty and staff approved by the committee, parking as well. and through the approval pro“We didn’t feel that it was cess of the executive staff, it right for students to take on was decided that permit pricmore of a load then they al- es would rise as well,” Regan ready have in terms of finan- said. cial commitment,” Brady said. Susan Toretta, a staff repThe daily and event rates resentative for the PTAC,
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has been involved with this process and understands the nature of the committee’s recommendations. “The committee makes recommendations, and the committee recommended not to raise the semester parking rate, but the final decision is the President’s Coordinating Counsel,” Toretta said. According to Parking and Card Services, the budget process is as follows: In late summer, each department begins gathering information for the next year’s budget cycle, and in September, the department provides information to the budget division on revenue projections. The revenue is mainly from semester rates and the hourly, daily and event rates. In the fall, the PCC has several budget meetings, and then the board of trustees approves the budget. “What do our constituents [students] want to see in regards to the parking permit increases? I believe that they would like to see tangible See “Parking” on Page 2
Keeping a closer eye on student imbibing SLU supports stronger student safety and prevention By BRIAN BOYD News Editor and
By PATRICK HITCHINS Staff Writer
It is no secret that the consumption of alcohol plays a role in the American college culture. According to a study published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 84 percent of college students have consumed alcohol in the past year. Saint Louis University is not immune from these measures. Since the beginning of Welcome Week on Aug. 24, 107 cases of alcohol-related violations have been reported by the Office of Student Conduct. According to Program Director of Student Conduct Katherine Weathers, the number of violations at this point in the semester is almost identical to the total in recent years over the same time period. “I don’t think [alcohol abuse] at SLU is more prevalent than any other university. I don’t think SLU is unique in terms of number of reported alcohol incidents. Is drinking among college students
a problem? Yes, but it’s a nationwide problem between students 18-24 years old from what data and research tell us,” Student Health Services counselor Meredith Osborn said. Senior Parks College student Tyler Ruff believes that the intensity and frequency of drinking have declined over his years at SLU. “I remember it was a lot more fun as a freshman,” Ruff said. “There was always a party somewhere. Now, SLU has cracked down on everything.” Kevin Smith, a freshman College of Health Sciences student, thinks that SLU has achieved a good balance between students who choose to drink and those who do not. “SLU seems to be somewhere in the middle. Some people do it, but it’s not surprising to meet a lot of people who don’t,” Smith said. SLU has implemented programs to help students educate themselves about alcohol and protect them from alcohol abuse. The University offers programs through Student Health and Wellness in which
Drinking in College
FAST FACTS
84% of college students drink alcohol regularly 60% of college students “binge” drink regularly (consuming 3+ drinks in one sitting) Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
counselors offer individual and group counseling to those struggling with an alcohol or substance abuse problem. “I do a lot of assessments on addictions and dependency, whether it be with alcohol or drugs,” Osborn said. “We work to guide whoever needs our help into sobriety.” The Alcohol Vision Team is a faculty and student group established to ensure a safe environment on campus and to reduce harmful outcomes stemming from drug and al-
The city of St. Louis is investigating Chea+ter’s Sports Grill and Ultrapub over the ownership of the bar’s liquor license and improper paper work filed with the city, forcing it to close its doors an hour and a half early. The St. Louis Liquor Control Board is reviewing who holds the ownership of the bar’s liquor license to see if it matches who owns the establishment on Laclede Street, according to Excise Commissioner Robert Krailberg. “We weren’t sure who was running the operation, and from what we have gathered, Mike Sansone is the current owner,” Krailberg said. “They should have filed earlier; they moved forward before the proper paper work was filed.” Director of Operations for Cheater’s Matt Ratz confirmed that Sansone is the current owner of the bar and liquor license, and Brian Monday, whose name is on the change of name registration form filed with the city, has backed out of the business. “There were a couple of bylaws that we didn’t abide by. We have a 1:30 a.m. license right now, and we are going to live with it and roll with the punches,” Ratz said. “The bottom line for us is affected, you are talking about us closing up at 1:30. You are talking about an hour and a half of prime time for our business, and that is the facts right now and something we have to deal with.” If the bar had switched owners, a new liquor license application would have needed to be filed with the city. Saint Louis University and all property owners within 500 feet of the bar would then be
cohol abuse. The team consists of representatives from student development, Public Safety and Security Services and students from peer education groups such as the Student Health Advocates and Peer Educator Program (SHAPE). The team has been working in conjunction with the St. Louis Police Department and owners of local bars to ensure a safe environment for See “Drinking” on Page 3
able to voice any protests of the bar for review of a new liquor license. These petitions have already been voiced by Vice President for Student Development Kent Porterfield as he criticized Chea+ter’s since it changed from Laclede Street Bar and Grill this summer, stating the name was in “poor taste” and was a “poke at the University and its mission.” Ratz said the bar’s name will be changed to Pierre Laclede Pub Eatery, and some of the more controversial aspects of the bar that SLU spoke out against, such as the schoolgirl uniforms, will be taken out. “We realized that it is a sensitive issue that the name falls with academic cheating, and we took that to heart, and we are going to make a change,” Ratz said. “We want to be a friendly neighbor, and we want SLU’s support.” Porterfield said he is encouraged by the change. “I don’t like the name and I was open about that. It certainly seems that the new name will be more appropriate,” Porterfield said. For now, Chea+ter’s will close its doors at 1:30 a.m. to comply with their current liquor license. Ratz said it could take months for their 3 a.m. license to be reinstated because to the longevity of the process. Krailberg said that there is no application pending from Chea+ter’s to reinstate the full license, and once all the paper work is properly filed, the business will be under review. “Right now our main focus is to become a restaurant and to teach these kids to come in early and have fun earlier in the night, which has happened this past week,” Ratz said.
Shah (Yuqing Xia) / Photo Editor
The freshly minted establishment has fallen behind in business with an earlier closing time of 1:30 a.m.
Rapper Common to discuss memoir By KRISTEN MIANO Staff Writer
Rap artist Common is anything but common. A wellknown hip-hop phenomenon, he has rapped about politics and social issues, called out the commercialization of the hip-hop industry and even created some controversy when he accepted an invitation to the White House this year, despite having rapped about violent topics. This week, Common will be the first Great Issues Committee speaker of the year, speaking to the Saint Louis University community about the content of his new memoir, “One Day, This Will All Make Sense.” Common, otherwise known as Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr., gained popularity as a rapper in the 1990’s. He is known for his politically conscious lyrics and has preformed and worked with artists such as Mary J. Blige and Kanye West. Common is also an actor and has been in several movies, including “American Gangster,” “Wanted” and “Terminator Salvation.” Common’s release of his new book is one of the rea-
sons GIC President Luke Gatta said the organization wanted to bring the artist to speak to the University. “We wanted to bring him before the book came out,” Gatta said. “But we thought it would be a good idea to ride the wave of enthusiasm and bring him now that the book is out.” Gatta said that Common expressed enthusiasm for See “Common” on Page 3
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