Cycles for U brakes early
Campus sustainable bike program faces uncertain future
Meg Clark
Issue date: 9/24/09 Section: News
In the spring of 2009, two Union students launched the bike-sharing program Free Cycles for U, offering students the opportunity to travel sustainably around campus by using bicycles.
The student initiators, Reed Olson '09 and Jake Shaffren '09, have since graduated from Union, and it seems as though the program has left with them.
Similar bike-sharing programs are successfully operating at numerous colleges, such as Emory University and University of Washington. So why has the program failed to thrive at Union?
Some students claim Minerva Houses have decided to stop funding the project and, therefore, it is impossible for the program to revive. The administrators, however, believe perhaps Union College is not the best atmosphere for a bike-sharing program.
Dean Tom McEvoy, Director of Minerva Programs and Associate Dean of Students, is familiar with the program, as he and the Minerva Houses were strong supporters of it last spring.
"I would like to be optimistic about it, but I think other things would need to change at Union before we could run a good program," McEvoy said. "When bikes are damaged and stolen in such a short period of time, it makes me wonder if we have the right environment for community bikes, which is a shame."
While many may jump to the conclusion that the surrounding Schenectady community may be partially to blame for the program's suffering, Nik Kothari '10, Student Representative of Green House, offers insight to one of the underlying issues.
"I think the program failed due to student negligence. Bikes were damaged and sometimes stolen. Some people didn't respect the program," he said.
McEvoy also points out that the bike program's lack of success comes from within Union College.
"I think we have a terrific student body and an overwhelming number of our students are respectful, community-minded and supportive of this kind of effort," he commented. "Unfortunately, that ethos is missed on a few students who don't seem to get it, or think it's funny to trash a bike. The point of that is a mystery for most of us."
The student initiators, Reed Olson '09 and Jake Shaffren '09, have since graduated from Union, and it seems as though the program has left with them.
Similar bike-sharing programs are successfully operating at numerous colleges, such as Emory University and University of Washington. So why has the program failed to thrive at Union?
Some students claim Minerva Houses have decided to stop funding the project and, therefore, it is impossible for the program to revive. The administrators, however, believe perhaps Union College is not the best atmosphere for a bike-sharing program.
Dean Tom McEvoy, Director of Minerva Programs and Associate Dean of Students, is familiar with the program, as he and the Minerva Houses were strong supporters of it last spring.
"I would like to be optimistic about it, but I think other things would need to change at Union before we could run a good program," McEvoy said. "When bikes are damaged and stolen in such a short period of time, it makes me wonder if we have the right environment for community bikes, which is a shame."
While many may jump to the conclusion that the surrounding Schenectady community may be partially to blame for the program's suffering, Nik Kothari '10, Student Representative of Green House, offers insight to one of the underlying issues.
"I think the program failed due to student negligence. Bikes were damaged and sometimes stolen. Some people didn't respect the program," he said.
McEvoy also points out that the bike program's lack of success comes from within Union College.
"I think we have a terrific student body and an overwhelming number of our students are respectful, community-minded and supportive of this kind of effort," he commented. "Unfortunately, that ethos is missed on a few students who don't seem to get it, or think it's funny to trash a bike. The point of that is a mystery for most of us."
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