2008 Woodie Awards
Staff Editorial: Students have their say
Our View: The RHA took major strides in representing the student voice in the Purple Line debate and should continuing focusing on these concerns.
Staff Editorial
Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: Opinion
Without a doubt, the RHA took a stand Tuesday night and gave a strong voice to the undergraduate student population regarding the inclusion on the Purple Line on Campus Drive. While the past year has brought a long list of concerns about the possibility of the new light rail, most - if not all - have been overdramatic and even irrational. However, few concerns or discussions had been raised from the student population. Until now.
The RHA is a key voice in the ongoing discussion regarding the light rail, particularly because they represent the majority of the population the light rail will affect the most: the students. While the administration and the University Senate have weighed in, students have yet to really get involved and make any decisions about where they'd like to see the light rail go. With the RHA making waves in the discussion, concerns are now moving from irrational to understandable.
The RHA brought up many valid concerns and raised questions campus residents should be thinking about as the decision draws nearer. Concerns about noise that were similar to the administration's concerns were brought up, but the RHA's concerns seemed to ignore the fact that a huge number of freshmen live right next to the four-lane University Boulevard, where traffic rumbles by on a regular basis. Worrying about the noise the Purple Line would make is valid, but students should know that light-rail trains move slower than heavy-rail trains such as Amtrak and Metro and on average probably make less noise than the average Shuttle-UM bus.
One interesting question the RHA posed was whether students would be able to receive free passes if they ride the Purple Line from local locations such as East Campus to the Stamp Student Union similar to the way they might ride the Shuttle-UM bus. Joel Oppenheimer, a Maryland Transit Administration official, agreed Tuesday night to consider the idea. Regardless of whether the idea comes to fruition, it was initiated during an RHA meeting and will likely contribute to student concerns being heard
The RHA is a key voice in the ongoing discussion regarding the light rail, particularly because they represent the majority of the population the light rail will affect the most: the students. While the administration and the University Senate have weighed in, students have yet to really get involved and make any decisions about where they'd like to see the light rail go. With the RHA making waves in the discussion, concerns are now moving from irrational to understandable.
The RHA brought up many valid concerns and raised questions campus residents should be thinking about as the decision draws nearer. Concerns about noise that were similar to the administration's concerns were brought up, but the RHA's concerns seemed to ignore the fact that a huge number of freshmen live right next to the four-lane University Boulevard, where traffic rumbles by on a regular basis. Worrying about the noise the Purple Line would make is valid, but students should know that light-rail trains move slower than heavy-rail trains such as Amtrak and Metro and on average probably make less noise than the average Shuttle-UM bus.
One interesting question the RHA posed was whether students would be able to receive free passes if they ride the Purple Line from local locations such as East Campus to the Stamp Student Union similar to the way they might ride the Shuttle-UM bus. Joel Oppenheimer, a Maryland Transit Administration official, agreed Tuesday night to consider the idea. Regardless of whether the idea comes to fruition, it was initiated during an RHA meeting and will likely contribute to student concerns being heard
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