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Grand Valley State University
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Monday, January 25, 2010
Campus Dining health violations support results of soft drink sanitation study Virginia study finds soft drink dispensers often harbor E. coli, other fecal bacteria By Samantha Butcher GVL Staff Writer
Courtesy Photo / DPS
With snow covering the lines in parking lots, DPS has seen increased problems with triple parking and cars getting blocked in. Officers and grounds staff at GVSU encourage drivers to pay attention to the pylons used to mark rows in campus lots.
DPS, campus grounds staff undaunted by ice, snow University staff works to improve winter road conditions, prevent ‘triple parking’ in lots By Chelsea Lane GVL News Editor
It is 5 a.m. While most of Grand Valley State University sleeps, Department of Public Safety Officer Paul Weaver sets traffic cones in the university parking lots to mark out the parking rows. Each morning, Weaver and a team of student workers put out about 200 pylons. “I could tell you where every line is,” Weaver said. Vehicle crashes and slip-andfall accidents consistently increase when snowy weather hits campus, and Weaver is just one of the many university staff members who help GVSU gear up for winter. In the 2009 calendar year, DPS logged 15 crashes during icy or snowy weather. Reports are taken only when damage occurred, and Weaver said the numbers were low compared to Allendale Township as a whole. Those statistics also show a drastic decrease from 2008, when
DPS reported 53 crashes during fit into an empty space. The cluster similar environmental conditions. of improperly parked cars often DPS studies these yearly statistics blocks in other cars or takes up extra and researches what safety methods space in the lots. nearby colleges employ to learn DeHaan said triple parking is how to improve road conditions and a problem in faculty and student reduce the number of accidents on lots alike and there have been past campus. instances where more than five Weaver said cars were blocked winter crashes are in as a result. He “ ... sometimes typically one-vehicle advised drivers to people think we’re “be considerate of incidents and usually occur when drivers do not taking our jobs others” by making not drive according sure they are seriously and to weather and road properly aligned it’s quite the conditions. with the traffic cones “Weather doesn’t when parking. opposite ... ” cause a crash; it’s As for the lots KEN STANTON people driving too themselves, GVSU GVSU GROUNDS fast for the conditions employs 11 full-time SUPERVISOR of the roadway,” he grounds workers said. who clear snow and The majority of crashes occur ice from parking lots and walkways. in campus parking lots, usually at Most grounds staff work from 6:30 90-degree intersections or when a.m. to 3 p.m., with extra shifts and drivers are backing out. workers added as needed. But Capt. Brandon DeHaan, Grounds Supervisor Ken Stanton, assistant director of DPS, said one said the grounds team’s first priority is of the biggest winter challenges his clearing roads, sidewalks, commuter department faces is “triple parking.” lots and building entrances before Triple parking occurs when drivers moving on to housing lots. The park outside the lines after a team also sprays a non-freezing snowfall, causing other drivers to See Snow, A2 also park incorrectly if they want to
It is no secret fountain drinks are far from nutritious, but could they also be hazardous to your health? Machine-dispensed sodas may be cheap and convenient, but according to researchers at Hollins University in Virginia, they could also contain fecal bacteria. The study, published in the January 2010 issue of the “International Journal of Food Microbiology,” found that 48 percent of drinks tested contained E. coli, staphylococcus (staph) and five other bacteria strains linked to human and animal waste. Researchers also found most of the bacteria were resistant to at least one of 11 common antibiotics. “These findings suggest that soda fountain machines may harbor persistent communities of potentially pathogenic microorganisms, which may contribute to episodic gastric distress in the general population and could pose a more significant health risk to immunocompromised individuals,” the study’s abstract reads. “These findings have important public
health implications and signal the need for regulations enforcing hygienic practices associated with these beverage dispensers.” Ninety samples were taken from 30 soda fountains in a 22-mile wide section of Roanoke Valley in Virginia. Researchers would not name the fast food restaurants and convenience stores they obtained the samples from, but said they included “all the typical places you would go to get a soda.” The study suggested several causes for the contamination, but researchers thought the most likely cause would be a build up of bacteria in the plastic tubing inside of the machines. Aaron Baxter, an assistant professor of microbiology at Grand Valley State University, said the results of the study were not surprising. “Any situation in which a system is not constantly flushed or cleaned could potentially develop a biofilm of bacteria,” he said. “This biofilm typically provides protection to the organisms and makes them fairly difficult to remove.” While the study only focused on businesses near Roanoke, Va., researchers said they believe the problem of contamination is not limited to their area. Currently, Michigan food law requires restaurants to clean the
See Soft Drinks, A2
GVL / Brian B. Sevald
A recent study has found soft drink dispensers, if not cleaned properly, are apt to harbor microorganisms such as E. coli. GVSU has had several critical violations stemming from their fountain drink machines since September 2007, according to the Ottawa County Health Department.
Student launches petition to expand bus routes By Molly Waite GVL Staff Writer
For many students at Grand Valley State University, the commute to class is a short bus ride from Grand Rapids or a quick walk across campus. But for students who
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live and work in the Grand Haven, available to them whatsoever. Thus Muskegon and Tri-City areas, the far, the feedback from the Grand trip to school is time-consuming and Haven area is very supportive. Most a considerable expense. people would be happy even if there After being stranded on campus was only one bus that ran five times with a dead car battery and no a day.” way to get home to Erin Babson, Grand Haven last operations manager “ ... I know that I fall, junior Kaitlyn Pew Campus would be thrilled to for Lemon decided to and Regional write a petition that have an opportunity Centers, supports an would expand The extension of the bus to buy a bus pass Rapid bus route routes, recognizing in place of the to the east side of the number of issues Allendale, improving expenses of gas and surrounding crossthe commute for county travel and parking permits.” students, faculty and cost. KAITLYN LEMON staff. In February 2007, GVSU JUNIOR “The main reason Ottawa County was for the petition awarded a Service is to get the word out and raise Development and New Technology awareness,” Lemon said. “If you Grant from the Michigan Department live on campus, you don’t realize of Transportation. The grant is how many people have to commute being utilized to complete a needs every day. I designed the petition assessment and feasibility study of to get the idea out that there are a commuter and transit services in the lot of students who live in this area West Michigan area, creating a group and there is no transportation system called the West Michigan Transit
Linkages. Babson said GVSU serves on a committee of stakeholders from all across West Michigan to expand the bus system. “We have been looking at this for a while,” Babson said. “We knew we wouldn’t have enough demand or operations to support it ourselves, so we are trying to partner with these other people including Holland/ Muskegon community liaisons. We are hopeful.”
It was suggested to Lemon she write a letter of support for WMTL, but she felt drafting a petition would raise more awareness of the issue. “I want people to be aware and I hope that the petition will generate enough interest that people will be willing to support WMTL,” Lemon said. “If someone stops, reads the petition and thinks that it is a
See Petition, A2
Courtesy Map / Google Images
The proposed new bus route would expand The Rapid service west of campus.