What’s going to happen:

In short, the administration of Slippery Rock University plans to pave over the educational green-space located at the southern end of campus to erect a parking lot. The reason given is a vain attempt to reduce the parking complaints of the student body. Currently, this space’s main function is a public camp ground, while also serving many other educational secondary purposes.

The issue of the Administration’s plans to construct a parking lot were brought to light early by an article in the Slippery Rock University newspaper, The Rocket. In it, columnist Rob Cathers wrote a brief article about the University’s plans:

It’s not unusual to see students circling a campus parking lot like hawks preying for food in search of that ideal space near a classroom building or residence hall.

To ease the hunt, students may soon see an addition to the resident parking lots, making parking easier and thus eliminating many complaints university officials receive.

Rumors concerning the university’s campground as a possible target area for a new parking lot have been confirmed.

– Continued at: The Online Rocket

The article served as an awakening for many students and faculty at the University. While the Administration believes, “eliminating the campground is of no big concern because the land is not getting much use,” people who utilize the space regularly have become distressed over the idea of it being destroyed.

What we want to do about it:

The goal of the Leave It Green campaign is to raise awareness around this issue and to get as many people involved in saving this space as we can. To do this, we have started a multi-faceted fight against the University Administration geared towards saving the Camp Grounds which includes the following:

• A letter writing campain to the President of the University voicing our opinions;
• A public awareness drive which includes hand-outs, side-walk banners, public forums and interest meetings;
• This website, a place where students, teachers, administrators and the public can come to learn more about our plans, ideals and goals;
• A public protest of the plans which will include a week-long camp-out on the Camp Ground.

Here you can find a list of the major arguments against paving over the Camp Grounds to put up a parking lot. Below is a brief summery of each of the arguments, by clicking on a title of an argument, you will be forwarded to another page which includes an in-depth look at that argument.

Violation of SRU Mission Statement

By erecting a parking lot, Slippery Rock University would be in violation of its own mission statement. In doing this, it would be undermining the very foundation that this university was built on. Not only would the administration of the University be betraying its current and former students, faculty and neighbors, it would be destroying a vital part of the education here at Slippery Rock University.

Safety Hazard

Because of the location of the proposed parking lot, there would be an increase in the danger to students who utilize the REACH Program and Leadership Courses. Also, by locating a parking lot in such a remote area, the likelyhood of crime to vehicles is drastically increased.

Negative Environmental Impacts

A common problem associated with parking lot construction is the increase in flooding during and after rain. Anyone who lives at or near Slippery Rock knows that we get a lot of rain every year. By adding another parking lot, there is an ever-higher shortage of permeable areas to absorb the rain water.

Proximity of Green Space

The Camp Ground and surrounding areas are heavily utilized as an eductional space by many university organizations. The area is unique to Slippery Rock University and provides a very important service to students, community and visitors.

Why Can’t it be Located Elsewhere?

There are many other locations on and around campus where a parking lot could be constructed, including:

• The old baseball stadium;
• Behind the football stadium.
• The Quad; has double the area, gets just as much use, and is about as close to the classroom buildings as you can get without actually driving into them.

Different Policy

Maybe the solution isn’t to erect more parking lots; maybe the shortage of parking is rooted in a bigger issue which could be dealt with in a different manner, such as:

• Eliminating freshman parking;
• Redefine who qualifies as a commuter;
• Review the under-utilization of the Happy Bus.

The Mission of Slippery Rock University is as follows:

The fundamental mission of Slippery Rock University is to provide high quality undergraduate and graduate academic instruction. Complementary missions are to conduct scholarly research, to promote professional performance, and to address the educationally-related economic, health, environmental, social, cultural, and recreational needs of the region served by the university.

Source: www.sru.edu

By removing the educational green space located on the Southern end of the university the administration is effectively violating their own mission statement.

Their desired action will have a negative impact on the educational functionality of the academic organizations which utilize this area: Parks and Recreation, Physical Education, ROTC, a sizable portion of the FYRST seminar classes and several others.

The administration is neglecting the environmental impact of reducing absorbent ground. More pavement space reduces the surface area available to absorb rain water, thereby increasing the amount of water entering the university drainage system which in recent years has repeatedly overflowed. This has occurred since several new parking lots have been arranged on the university property.

Additionally, paving this area will also reduce the recreational capabilities of this university by reducing the open space available for group activities.

Currently the REACH Program serves upwards of 12 groups a week on the High and Low Ropes course facility located adjacent to the educational green space. By paving this area not only is an important staging area removed, but danger of traffic to pedestrians is introduced.

This area is also removed in such a way to provide optimal opportunity for an increase in crime on the students who would utilize the parking lot.

Those of us who have been at the university for any amount of time recognize that when it rains at Slippery Rock – which is often – the water collects everywhere and flooding occurs.

A major contributor to flooding is the amount of pavement we have laid down which being impermeable it does not permit the absorption of water. Water is then required to run over the surface of the ground and into our flood control system. The increase in runoff directly overloads that system and results in flooding.

In recent years the East and West Lakes have repeatedly overflowed. In this time several new parking lots have been arranged on the university property. This is not just coincidence.

Flooding increases the amount of erosion that occurs in localized areas and results in the washing away of plants, hillsides, roads, and buildings. Damage is also caused to water-bodies through eutrophication, or the killing of aquatic organisms due to lack of oxygenated water.

Uniqueness to SRU: few other campuses in the country have their own campground where they are able to provide such a service to its students, community, and visitors.

Educational Function: three academic organizations regularly utilize the ski lodge as an important setting for their programs. This area provides open space relatively free of distractions to the educational process.

Aesthetic Value: It means a lot to us, but what does this green space which is so nearby mean to you?

Here is a list of alternate locations we’ve thought of; we’re sure you can think of more.

• Old baseball field by the water towers
• Behind the football stadium
• Around the Intramural Fields
• Behind the field house along Kiester Rd.
• In the Quad, it’s twice the size of the campground, receives just as much use, and is about as close as we can get to the classroom buildings without actually driving into them.
• Tiered Parking (Parking Garage)

Freshmen Parking: Do freshmen really need their vehicles on campus? Very few other institutions allow it and their freshmen seem to get by. Wouldn’t it logically result in greater participation in weekend programs, because most of the freshmen didn’t go home?

Commuter Parking: Change what it means to be a commuter. Rather than a commuter being anyone who does not live on university property, we suggest redefining it as anyone without the ability to walk onto campus. Perhaps residing within a ¼ mile of the university’s main property greatly restricts your parking options.
Happy Bus: It would be of high priority to increase the availability of the happy bus to address the transportation needs of the student body.