News to you
February 6, 2012
3
news@anchorweb.org
A convenient fix provides new parking on East Campus by next June, pending approvals from the state. The new lot will be located behind the Kauffman Center, which is home to the offices of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions, News and Public Relations and the Web Communications department. It will attach to the current lot located between Kauffman and the School of Social Work. “In anticipation of wintery weather nothing is being
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Not too far off from the Recreation Center construction site, another area of construction exists, covered with bulldozer tracks from the demolition. A new parking lot will replace the trees that once By Katelyn Hurd resided in the area by next News Editor June. The parking lot, located behind Building 10, will feature approximately 30 spaces for visitors and staff. Being placed in an outlying area of the campus, some have questioned the logic of this project. The seemingly odd project is a result of practical thinking made by the college. Extra soil was set to be removed from the site of the Rec. Center. Rather than follow through with the costly removal process, it was decided to use the soil on the campus in a positive way to create the lot. The project is a way to take advantage of the material in a frugal and efficient way. “We didn’t set out to build a parking lot,” said William Gearhart, vice president for administration and finance. The project was started last fall and, although it is halted right now, the project is expected to be completed
We didn’t set out to build a parking lot.
– William Gearhart, vice president for administration and finance
done as we speak,” said Athletics Director Don Tencher in an email to The Anchor. “Normally, the asphalt plants would close in winter, but as we all know it has been nice.” Aside from the cost-effective reasoning for the new lot, President Nancy Carriuolo explained that the college hired an associate vice president for professional studies
and continuing education last fall, with the responsibility of increasing service to the community, especially business and industry, as well as to boost revenue for the college. “As the division becomes more active, space will be needed to accommodate those seeking services,” Carriuolo also said in an email. Gearhart added that the project is not a solution to RIC’s parking problem. “With the number of spaces given the number of students, we are confident we have enough spaces,” said Gearhart. “They just aren’t preferable.” The new lot was not part of the plan to alleviate the negative way students feel about parking, yet in the future, the administration is working on a solution. During this spring semester, debating will begin over what can be done. Ideas being thrown around are to restrict certain lots, or by applying a zoning method to assign different spots to different people. Depending on what will be decided, there could be changes for next fall. At that point, students won’t just be surprised by the opening of a new lot behind Building 10, but by a whole new approach to the parking situation that may be in effect.
State of the State Address Chafee addresses a plan to aid the current state of Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee has always been known as someone who expects trust in him. This year, he is asking Rhode Islanders to put his trust in him to end corruption and better and repair the By Tim Hordern alarming state of the current Anchor Staff Writer economy. On January 31, 2012, Mr. Chafee addressed a joint session of Congress along with distinguished leaders and Judges in his annual State of the State address. His speech focused on his “ABC” plan, to improve Rhode Island’s “assets,” such as education, healthcare and employment, to help RI’s “budget” especially in poorer communities, and his plan to focus on ending “corruption.” The speech also announced a raise in the cost of meal and beverage tax. “We are all Rhode Islanders, and we all want what is best for the people of our great state,” said Chafee. “We must focus on the fundamentals, the ABC’s.” The speech started with a moment of silence for the passing of Former Governor Garrahy which led to a discussion about how he treated everyone with dignity. The speech then turned for the current state of Rhode Island. With an unemployment percentage at 10.8 percent which is almost two percent higher than any in New England, Mr. Chafee laid out how he will correct the dismal position Rhode Island is in. These “ABC’s” took the stage in the rest of the speech. The “A” stood for Rhode Island’s Assets. He claimed that
RI seems to stress the negatives of the state and the legislators need to, “tone it down- for our challenges are too great.” Mr. Chafee says the future of RI lies in the Knowledge District. Providence holds one of only seven Ivy League schools which is located next to many promenade, nationally recognized hospitals. The connection between Pittsburg and RI was drawn by Chafee. He claimed that on his trip last year to Pittsburg, he saw how a city that focused on the “meds and eds” industry, transitioned into a high paying, skilled job market with low unemployment and high quality education. Chafee then prided that RI was the only state to receive level two federal funding, $58 million for health benefits exchange, and $50 million in an Early Education grant, part of Race to the Top. Finally, Mr. Chafee prided that with tireless work, the America’s Cup World Series will be making a stop in Newport, which is expected to pour $70 million into the economy. Chafee also prided the achievement of the improved efficiency of the DMV and the improvement in the Rail and Airport service. Chafee also commended local Higher Learning institutions Presidents for devoting their lives to education and advancing the education standard of RI, including Rhode Island College’s own President Nancy Carriuolo. The “B” part of the speech focused on the budget. Chafee warned of the “distressed communities” which included Providence, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, Central Falls, West Warwick, North Providence, and East Providence, communities which relied on state funding. When funding was cut, the taxes had to be risen which stagnated the job
market within them. Chafee plans on expanding the funding once again to save these towns, including adding $40 million to the education at the city and town level. Chafee also planned to cut many programs in the 2013 budget with the majority coming from the Health and Human Services. Though he stated the essential programs like Medicaid and subsidized child care would not be touched, more the waste and fraud would be cut out. Chafee proposed in the speech that a 2 percent raise to the meal and beverage tax, to 3 percent, be added along with the adding of taxes to non-essential goods. Also Chafee said he proposes that the raise of vehicular registration and increase in the license fee be enacted to cover the rising transportation cost and the maintained of the many bridges and roads in Rhode Island. The final part of the speech looked at “C” or Corruption. Chafee proposed that there be a creation of “The Governor’s Jobs Cabinet” to look at creating jobs, expanding existing businesses, developing a skilled workforce, and to end corruption. Overall, the speech was short and caught a little criticism for being lackluster and unmemorable. The majority of the speech was trying to highlight the positives in a very dark time in RI history, but the outlook is not entirely positive yet. Chafee sited that last year’s revenue was stronger than projected- the FY 2013 deficit is projected at about $200 million. Mr. Chafee’s State of the State was overall positive and tried to boost the spirits of a beaten and tattered economy which will hopefully carry true to “The year of the Cities and Towns.”