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Parking regulations
need to be simplified
Problem still not fixed
It's no secret that parking, or lack thereof, is a serious
problem on campus. The commuter students know it, the
resident students with cars know it, the faculty knows it
-- even Police and Safety knows it.
As a matter of fact, Larry Silvis, the new manager of
Police and Safety, wrote a memo to the student body in
order to clarify the confusing parking situation as it now
exists on campus.
Unfortunately students will have to carry a copy of
this memo around in order to remember all of the rules
and regulations for parking. Certain parking lots may be
used by certain students with certain permits at certain
times but not necessarily by all students at certain
times,...
The point is that Silvis has made an attempt to clear up
all the questions on parking. Granted, this is a small
step, but one which was needed. The next step should be
simplification of the regulations, rules and exceptions to
those rules.
By simplifying the parking regulations, Police and
Safety will certainly have significantly less problems
with certain cars parked in certain wrong parking lots at
certain times during certain days...
Students who park on campus deserve a little more for
their parking fee than a lack of regular spaces and tons of
restrictions.
Hopefully, the opening of the new parking lot above
the apartments, scheduled for today, and the eventual
opening of a new lot down by the Nick Building will
help alleviate the problem.
Until then, students will just have to continue
wondering why they ever paid for a parking permit.
The Collegian
Published weekly by the students of Behrend College, Erie, PA
Edbx
Todd J. Irwin
Business Manager
Chrhale Redmond
The Colkea's': editorial opinion is
determined by the editorial staff,
with the editor holding final
responsibility. Opinions expressed
in The Collegian are not necessarily
those of The Collegian or the
Pennsylvania State University.
Mans(ling Editor
Mark Owens
News Editor
Lea Gotch
Features Editor
Jen Flanagan
Robb Frederidc
Sports Editor
John Musser
Layout Editor
Chris Kocott
Photo coordinator
Jim Pierdomenk*
of the Behrend College; Reed
Photo Coonilnator Union Building, Station Road,
Michael B. Schell Erie, Pa 16563.
Editorial
Letter Policy: The Collegian
encourages letters on news
coverage. editorial content and
university affairs. Letters should
be typewritten. double-spaced
and signed by no more than two
persons. Letters should be no
longer than 400 words. Letters
should include the semester and
major of the writer. All letterk
should provide the address and
phone number of the writer for
verification of the letter. The
Collegian reserves the right to
edit letters for length and to
reject letters if they are libelous
or do not conform to standards
of good taste. Letters should be
submitted to The Collegian
office no later than noon on
Tuesday prior to the desired
publication date.
Postal Information: Th e
Collegian (814 898-6488) is
published weekly by the students
Offiai Ihmager
David Mahoney
Distribution WNW
Leigh Stanesic
Advisor
Dr. Mk. Simmons
The Collegian
O p inion
Letters to the Editor
Paying for what
In my nine semesters here at
Behrend I have paid for a lot of
things. I'm paying for a quality
education and I'm getting it. tpay
(a great deal) for my text books,
and I get those too. I pay for the
interesting food in the Gorge and
I get that also. I pay for my car
and I drive it. I buy clothes and
wear them.
I think you get my point. I'm
used to getting what I pay for.
But now I guess it doesn't have
to work that way. I paid a lot of
money to be able to park my car
on campus, and that just isn't
happening.
Almost every day I have to
park my car in a mud hole, along
the side of the busy road, or
carefully tuck it into a place that
I know was never meant to be a
parking space. Thirty dollars is a
loft of money to pay for nothing.
This has bothered me more
and more every semester and I
always thought it would get
better. I think it has only gotten
worse. I let it go, just
complaining with my friends
about it. But Tuesday was the
last straw.
When I returned to my car
(that was parked, amazingly, in a
paved lot) I discovered that some
juvenile delitupent had put about—
five feet of keyed scratch marks
along one side of it. What in the
HELL am I paying fort!? For $3O
I should be able to put my cm in
a parking lot, and feel safe about
it! Over the years I have paid over
$lOO to park here. By now I
should have my own reserved
spot and a guard patrolling the
lot.
I think the parking fee should
be paid at the end of the semester.
Only those happy with the
parking over the months should
pay what they think it was
worth. I know I'm not the only
one that wouldn't pay. I'd ask for
Editorial
the $250 it will cost to get my
car re-painted.
There, now I've said all I
wanted to. I only wish I'd said
something sooner. I wish all of
us would say something,
- anything atm tew disgusted we
are about this patting situation.
Come on, guys, maybe we can
do something about it.
9th semester
Maesessent/MIS
Where to write
Letters to the Editor may be
submitted in The Collegian
office located on the first floor
of the Reed Union Building or
placed in The Collegian's
mailbox in the SGA suite.
Letters should be submitted
by noon on the Tuesday prior to
the desired publication date.
Letters must include the major,
semester standing, address and
phone number of the author for
verification. Letters become the
property of The Collegian.
Voicing choice
Voices for Choice was formed
in 1989 as a non-partisan. non
secretarian coalition of
organizations in Erie County
who do not want women to loose
their reproductive freedom. This
freedom is an httegral part of a
basic right prized by all citizens;
the right of privacy.
It includes the right of a
woman to terminate an
unintended pregnancy, if she
chooses, with a legal and safe
abortion during the first 24 weeks
of her pregnancy. Having such a
right does not mean she will
actually choose an abortion; the
opposite choice is equally
available and often made. "Pro-
Thursday, November 1, 1990
choice" is an apt label for our
group; "pro-abortion" is not.
The U.S. Supreme Court in
its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision
found a sensible balance between
competing rights. The right of
privacy takes precedence prior to
a fetus becoming "viable." This
is a "pro-life" law; every pregnant
woman is free to make a difficult
tk:ilio:p - Ifir- the -context of her
whole life.
Before the fetus has the
capability of meaningful life
outside the mother's womb, the
State cannot interfere with the
abortion decision. In 1988 there
were 50,000 abortions in
Pennsylvania, 93.6% of them
before the 13th week and only
0.001% after the 24th week When
the potentiality of human life
takes precedence unless the
mother's life or health is at risk.
A reversal of Roe v. Wade
would create total chaos in the
lives of American women, the
laws of the land, and the welfare
system. It would be a giant step
backwards to the degrading days
when the wealthy traveled to
foreign countries to obtain safe
abortions and the poor had to
choose between the risk of being
maimed by illegal, back alley
abortions or the certainty of
birthing unwanted children for
whom they could not properly
care.
GregVVard
Some of your readers may
sincerely believe abortion is
wrong, and we respect their right
to express their views In
sermons, Letters to the Editor,
and lawful clamutrationS. But it
is wrong to impose their beliefs
on everyone.
Any legislator whose
religious convictions compel him
to vote for laws restricting pre
viability abortions not only is
abusing the reproductive freedom
of women but also is abetting a
violation of one of the basic
principles of our pluralistic,
diverse society—the separation of
church and state.
ciirrmrivx
'ur
:ance with
Sncit beets
snuck out
tape...
Betty Young
Chair—Voices for Choke