The official student newspaper of Quinnipiac University since 1929.
QUCHRONICLE.COM
SEPTEMBER 16, 2015
Uber passes the gates
VOLUME 86, ISSUE 3
Department of Public Safety lifts ban on Uber By SARAH DOIRON Co-News Editor
Students will now be able to catch an Uber safely after the Department of Public Safety’s decision to allow them on campus, according to the Chief of Public Safety Edgar Rodriguez. This change in policy is not fully in effect yet, but Public Safety is working to allow students to meet their Uber driver in the carpool lot adjacent to the guard booth on the Mount Carmel campus, according to Rodriguez. Rodriguez said a location for students to pick up an Uber on the York Hill campus is still being determined by Public Safety. He said this change comes after realizing students were still using Uber by catching them off campus. “I know for a lot of our students Uber is economical and it is being used worldwide,” Rodriguez said. Sophomore Sabrina Sergio said allowing Uber on campus is a good idea because most students don’t want to pay for a taxi. “Taxis are expensive and Ubers are much cheaper,” she said. “A college student on a budget doesn’t want to pay a lot of money just to go somewhere.” Rodriguez said even though Uber drivers will be allowed on campus, he recommends students use Metro Taxi. “Metro Taxi is a professional organization that has marked vehicles, are insured, all taxi drivers have a public service license and the vehicles have a security camera in them,” he said. General manager for Uber in Connecticut Matt Powers
said Uber has experienced tremendous growth within the New Haven area since the company expanded to the state in April 2014. “[Uber] is popular typically among college students because it is safe, reliable and convenient to use, especially when you don’t have a car and you need to get
$28-$38
$44.25
Price of Uber from QU to Toad’s Place
Price of taxi from QU to Toad’s Place
8 million
People use the Uber app
into the city,” he said. Powers said it is important for people to not compare Uber to a taxi service. “I think it’s an important distinction to make because many people assume it’s a taxi, but it’s a new innovative option for transportation that anyone can use,” he said. Uber recently won the dismissal of a lawsuit by 15 Connecticut taxi companies because it could not be proven to be competing unfairly with taxi services. Rodriguez said he has some issues with Uber’s safety, especially the fact that Uber cars are not marked. “[Public Safety] is more concerned about students who are leaving the nightclubs late at night and are trying to
catch an Uber,” he said. “Sometimes we aren’t as sober as we ought to be during these times and then we jump into the first car that looks like an Uber.” Powers said Uber takes pride in the safety of their app because of the information a user is able to receive about their driver. “There are all sorts of features on there that can help make Uber one of the safest transportation options out there,” he said. “You can share the ride with friends and as a user you can see your driver’s photo along with their contact information, license plate and the make and model of their vehicle.” Sophomore Connor Carey said he is happy that Uber is no longer banned on campus so students aren’t walking off campus to meet their drivers. “I think it’s a great idea; it’s better business for Uber and also helps to ensure more safety for students,” he said. Rodriguez said when using an Uber it is important to make sure you know your driver’s name, car model and license plate number before hopping into a vehicle. He also recommends students share an Uber with friends or download the Rave Guardian app to track your location. “Our biggest concern is the safety of our students,” he said. “At least 75 percent of our Public Safety officers are parents, so we treat [students] like they’re our own kids.” Editor’s Note: The Matt Powers interviewed in this article is not the Class of 2016 Student Government Association president. ILLUSTRATION BY HANNAH SCHINDLER STATISTICS COURTESY OF DIGITAL MARKETING RAMBLINGS
University considers equestrian center By TARA O’NEILL Co-News Editor
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PHOTO COURTESY OF ALI SICBALDI
Junior Ali Sicbaldi (above), has been riding horses for 12 years and thinks an equestrian center is a good idea.
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ing doing,” Freda told the New Haven Register. Even though it’s uncertain at the time if this new land will be used for an equestrian center, some students are raving about the See EQUESTRIAN Page 4
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The university reached out to North Haven First Selectman Michael Freda about the property purchases, according to the New Haven Register. “I really appreciated the courtesy phone call from Quinnipiac University telling me in advance that this what they were consider-
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Those with a love for horses could be in for a surprise at Quinnipiac. The university might build an equestrian center in the near future, according to a statement from the Vice President for Public Affairs Lynn Bushnell. “Quinnipiac is thinking very seriously about establishing an equestrian center in the future and we do expect to make a decision during this academic year,” Bushnell said. There are currently 23 colleges and universities that offer equestrian as a NCAA sport, according to the United States Equestrian Federation. Among those colleges is Sacred Heart University, located in Fairfield. Beyond just Division I interest, there are other nearby colleges with an equestrian club or team such as Yale University, Fairfield University, Wesleyan University, Connecticut College, Post University, the University of Connecticut and Trinity College. Quinnipiac has purchased at least six properties in North Haven since 2013, according to documents from Vision Solutions, a company that keeps track of property ownership. Those documents showed that Quinnipiac purchased 999 Mount Carmel Ave., 1001 Mount Carmel Ave., 1155 Mount Carmel Ave., 277 Kings Highway, 35 Canterbury Way and 39 Canterbury Way. Most of these properties are vacant land, but the property on 277 Kings Highway has a barn on it, records show. Though the university would not comment on whether Quinnipiac would use these properties for a possible equestrian center, the total amount spent on these properties was $12,890,000.
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