The Ranger (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 14, Ed. 1 Friday, February 9, 2007 Page: 3 of 19
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The Ranger • www.theranger.org
Feb. 9, 2007 • 3
By Natalia Montemayor
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rag
State Rep. Mike Villarreal
I
A sign at the entrance to the carpool parking lot east of Chance tells a much different story than what students are told.
Renovation of Loftin Student Center expected to begin in summer
By Ryan Johnston
Student workshop
on legislation
“The student center closes
at 7 p.m. and it is not open on
weekends. It’s a budget thing. We
don't have the staff to keep people
here until after 5 p.m.”
Jorge Posadas
director of student life
Room will be renovated first. When
finished, the dining area will be moved
into the Fiesta Room and renovation on
the cafeteria will begin.
When completed, the downstairs
will be dedicated to student use and the
upstairs for lectures and other events,
Posadas said.
“We need repairs due to high traffic
and so that students can have a space
that allows them to receive quality pro-
grams that represent the diverse interest
of SAC students,” Posadas said. “Loftin
will provide space that develops stu-
dents as strong leaders by planning edu-
cation, social and entertaining events
i
Li
mittee, she isn’t allowed to appeal again.
Administrative secretary Louis Cevilla is part of the
committee, which is chaired by Ruben Flores, the dean
of evening, weekend and distance education.
“I was in the middle of processing that appeal, and
I’m not sure what to say because I myself don’t know
where the new carpool area is located,” Cevilla said.
Cevilla said that since he was hired in August, he
has seen more than 100 appeals for parking tickets.
The college’s carpool Web site lists requirements for
those who wish to car pool to school.
It states that at least two registered carpoolers
must enter the Moody parking lot in one vehicle, and
that the carpool permit is only valid at the designated
spaces in that lot.
“I want to be able to see and know of an area that
is specifically for carpool,” Hernandez said.
“Until then, I’ll continue hiding my car in crowded
lots, hoping nobody will notice,” Hernandez said.
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A Ione spray bottle lies on the floor,
a group of trophies rests in the corner
and one rectangular table dominates the
tiny room where eight members of the
Student Government Association met
Monday to discuss campus issues.
The group of young men play-
ing Dance Dance Revolution and the
screams and cheers of students gathered
around arcade games did not distract
the student representatives as the door
to Room 256 of Loftin Student Center
was kept shut.
The meetings are open to the public,
but only eight members and two advis-
ers attended.
The association discussed proposed
renovations to Loftin, new questions on
surveys to be distributed to students in
March and new fliers on parking and
security.
Joshua Resendiz, commissioner at-
large, brought to the attention of mem-
bers that instead of using the student
activity fee on student organizations or
clubs, that $100,000 was being used to
renovate Loftin.
Jorge Posadas, director of student
life, explained that the student activity
fee that all students pay when they reg-
ister is not solely to be used for student
organizations or clubs but is charged
so that all students can have activities,
events and a collegiate experience.
“A renovation to the student center
is long overdue,” Suzanne Martinez,
faculty adviser and political science
instructor, said. “A facelift isn’t that bad
of an idea.”
The district will put out a proposal
and let companies bid on construction,
which is expected to begin in the sum-
mer.
The second floor and the Fiesta
Students interested in
getting insider information
on how to influence state
officials to improve college
affordability when transfer-
ring to a four-year university
are encouraged to attend a
presentation on expanding
eligibility of Texas Grants for
students receiving an asso-
ciate's degree or completing
the core curriculum at the
community-coliege level.
State Rep. Mike Villarreal
of District 123 will open the
event at 10:30 a.m. today in
Room 120 of the visual arts
center with an announcement
of proposed legislation to
increase access to the Texas
Grants Program, also called
Ladders to College Success.
President Robert Zeigler
and Chancellor Bruce H.
Leslie will join Villarreal for
the announcement.
Following the announce-
ment, Villarreal will lead a
workshop on educating stu-
dents on the legislative pro-
cess and of upcoming oppor-
tunities for students to travel
to the Capitol in Austin to
have their voices heard.
Zeigler said this is an
important and great oppor-
tunity for students and their
families.
“The more knowledge and
access we have, the better
off we all are,” he said.
J.A. Garcia
r- e
k ■
_
Alberta Hernandez purchased her carpool parking
permit before the fall semester began and felt content
in knowing that everyday she would have a guaranteed
parking spot on campus.
“I had bought the permit before for $15, and I
remember there was always a parking space available,”
the 22-year-old education sophomore said.
On Jan. 30, Hernandez received a $12 parking ticket
for parking in Lot 2 on San Pedro Avenue between Ashby
and Courtland places without a regular parking permit.
“I had tried to park in the designated carpool area
first, but all the spaces were taken,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez explained that she was looking for park-
ing in Lot 16 east of Moody Learning Center, a lot that
had previously contained carpool parking.
District department of public safety clerk Adrian
Plata said, “All designated carpool and handicapped
parking has been moved to Lot 19 behind Chance so
that more spaces can be available in front of Moody. ”
Lot 19 is a small lot east of Chance Academic Center
accessible despite adjacent fenced-off lots for new
construction.
“People have been having trouble parking in the
new carpool lot because students are blocking the
entrance with their cars and the individual carpool
spaces aren’t marked like they are in Lot 16,” Plata
said.
Plata explained that the only way individuals with
carpool passes can avoid being ticketed in other lots is
if they purchase a regular parking permit for the spring
at a cost of $11 as well.
“I assumed that I could still park anywhere else
with my pass because it has the district logo on it,”
Hernandez said.
Since the beginning of the semester, 900 parking
spaces on campus have been lost to prepare for the
construction of two new academic buildings and a
parking garage.
About 1,200 off-campus spaces have been secured
to replace them.
Although construction has not yet begun, students
are struggling to find parking spots that are safe from
tow trucks and tickets.
“I have to be here two hours before my first class
because they are in the morning, and that ft when
parking is the worst,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez went to the department of public safety
to create a sense of community at San
Antonio College.”
In other business, the group dis-
cussed a survey to poll students.
Kayla Byrd, commissioner at-large,
suggested adding questions for night
students about the closing of Loftin each
evening.
Posadas explained the reason for the
early closing.
“The student center closes at 7
p.m. and it is not open on weekends,”
Posadas said. “It’s a budget thing. We
don’t have the staff to keep people here
until after 5 p.m.”
Martinez concluded that most of the
students on this campus are not here
after 5 p.m. and that the students need
to find the areas on campus that are
open for their use.
Members also discussed a new park-
ing flier to circulate around campus. The
flier is to bring awareness to students on
security and parking issues.
Many group members expressed the
idea of putting the fliers on the VIA
buses that shuttle students from distant
parking areas to campus.
The next meeting will be at 3 p.m.
Monday in Room 256 of Loftin.
offices and appealed the $12 citation.
“I was told that a committee meets to decide wheth-
er or not to accept appeals, and that all I can do is wait
until a decision is made,” Hernandez said.
She also said that she was required to sign a con-
tract stating that if she is denied by the appeals com-
Carpool parking once an oasis, now looks more like a mirage
Stephany Vasquez
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“I assumed that I could still
park anywhere else with my
pass because it has the district
logo on it.”
Alberta Hernandez
education sophomore
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San Antonio College. The Ranger (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 14, Ed. 1 Friday, February 9, 2007, newspaper, February 9, 2007; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1352303/m1/3/?q=music: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting San Antonio College.