Assistant vice president of administration Mike Davis and University Police chief Craig Jacuzzo asked for the Student Government Association’s support in two projects to make the University a safer place for students in Monday’s Student Government Association meeting.
Jacuzzo asked for assistance from the organization, in conjunction with the Student Programming Association, The Nicholls Worth, KNSU and University officials, to create a media campaign to promote crosswalk awareness on campus. He explained that a lot of money and time has been spent installing crosswalks and other safety technology, and that many students are not adhering to these precautions. Three incidents involving the use of crosswalks have been reported on campus already.
The proposed media campaign would be seen at major University events such as Family Day to remind students to use crosswalks.
“This is not just a topic that will take place one day and not be repeated within the semester,” Jacuzzo said.
Davis, along with University officials like vice president of student affairs Eugene Dial, asked for assistance in promoting parking safety along Bowie Road.
“There is a serious problem that we are very concerned about,” Davis said.
Two years ago, a request for a reduced speed limit and a ban on parking along Bowie Road was issued to the city of Thibodaux. Parking was only banned on the east side of the road and the speed limit was only reduced to 15 mph in certain sections.
Several accidents have occurred at the intersection of Ardoyne and Bowie Roads and speed has often been a factor, Davis said. For this reason, he said he would like to go back to the city of Thibodaux and request again that the speed limit be reduced and parking banned.
With the addition of the recreation center and a new culinary building, foot traffic around Bowie Road will increase, Dial said.
“Right now, the only people crossing the street are the ones that park there, but once the rec center is open, there is going to be constant traffic back and forth,” Dial said. “We’re just trying to plan for the safety of the students.”
In addition to the reduced speed limit and parking ban, Davis said the University will ask for at least three crosswalks on Bowie Road.
Davis said he has surveyed campus parking several times throughout a normal school day and has observed at least 200 available spots on campus available for students choosing to park on Bowie Road.
“We have an obligation to look out for the safety of the students and as we move across that road, there will be more traffic there, and we really are concerned.”
Matthew Jewell, SGA vice president, said the money students pay for a parking decal is not expensive in comparison to other universities, and it is worth the cost to be safe.
“That $50 is not a lot of money for the luxury to park on campus. When I attended Loyola University, I paid $400 for my parking spot (per year),” Jewell said. “We have it good here at Nicholls.”
Davis said he will write a letter to the mayor of Thibodaux, Tommy Eschete, which will then be brought up at a city council meeting. Davis asked that SGA attend that meeting to show their support for the effort.
