Western junior Jordan Wood’s name is stored in the database of the University Police. He was issued a warning for violation of the skateboard policy this year for skateboarding from class to his car.
Skateboarding is still illegal on campus but the current skateboard policy will almost certainly be changed next year, University Police Chief Randy Stegmeier said.
Currently a ticketable offense, skateboarding could be a viable form of transportation on campus after a 30 day trial period fall quarter. Photo by Kathryn Bachen
"I’m all for skateboarding being legal," Wood said. "I don’t see why bicycles are legal and skateboards aren’t."
Next fall, a proposal by the Central Health and Safety Committee to make skateboarding legal for transportation will go through a 30-day comment period, said Gayle Shipley, director of Environmental Health and Safety.
The 30-day comment period is designed to give the campus community a chance to review and provide feedback on the proposal. After the 30-day period, the proposal will need to be approved by the president in order to change the policy.
The proposal was ready for the public comment period at one point in June, but there weren’t 30-days left in the school year to review it, Shipley said.
Shipley said that the current no skateboarding policy was originally made because of the concern that skateboarders and pedestrians wouldn’t be safe in the same area. Skateboards don’t have brakes and require more room to maneuver than pedestrians do, she said.
"People using skateboards for transportation have been responsible," Shipley said. "They have interacted in a way that is positive towards people using other modes of transportation."
Wood has been skateboarding for eight years, he doesn’t damage school property and he isn’t dangerous to bicyclists and pedestrians, he said.
"As long as you’re not hurting anything I think skateboarding should be legal, at least for transportation," Wood said.
University Police Administrative Sergeant Dave Garcia said University Police still tickets skateboarders regardless of whether they are doing tricks or skating for transportation.
The University Police typically issues a warning to first-time skateboard offenders, Garcia said. After that they give out tickets ranging from $12 to $28, Garcia said. If individuals receive a second ticket it usually costs $55, and third-time offenders get their cases reported to University Judiciary Officer Michael Schardein.
The rules for skateboards under the new policy will likely be similar to bicycles, Shipley said. They will have to dismount in the no walk zones, she said.
Performing tricks on a skateboard would still be illegal under the policy revisions because it is damaging to property, Shipley said.
In the past, the Central Health and Safety Committee have discussed designating areas for skateboarder swhere doing tricks would be allowed. The committee was not able to come up with a suitable area, she said.
"The campus is paid for by the state," Shipley said. "As good stewards, we can’t allow people to degrade it."
There are currently no plans to accommodate skateboarders who perform tricks. Bicycle tricks are also illegal on campus.
Shipley said the goal of the policy revisions is to balance sustainable transportation with safety.
"The thing we need to be clear on is we want to emphasize sustainable transportation, and skateboarding is a part of that," Shipley said. "Transportation modes shouldn’t adversely impact other people."
Only registered users can post comments.
Please login or register.
Be first to comment on this article
