Transportation and parking progress report includes parking fee increases

Record-high bus ridership and an update on campus parking fees were among the details of a transportation and parking progress report presented to the Ohio State Board of Trustees June 2.

The University is preparing to enter Phase Three of its five-year Transportation and Parking Master Plan, which addresses the need for additional parking garages, permit fee increases over the next three years, rehabilitation of the north and south medical garages, and preventive maintenance and scheduled replacement of buses.

Sarah Blouch, director of the Office of Transportation and Parking Services, gave an update on this year's progress before presenting initiatives for 2000-01. She said campus bus ridership is expected to reach 3.5 million this fiscal year -- a new, all-time record. That compares with 2.3 million riders last year and 1.3 million in 1997-98.

Blouch said customers' ratings of campus bus service remains high, even with increased passenger counts and no increase in Campus Area Bus Service funding. In fact, Transportation and Parking's Transit Service Improvement Team won a national award -- sponsored by the College of Business at the Rochester Institute of Technology and USA Today -- for transforming the campus bus service into a viable, economical and popular alternative to automobile use on the Columbus campus.

Blouch said the draft of the South Campus/Health Sciences District Parking Plan has been completed and, after customer feedback is obtained, a final report will be presented to trustees this summer. At least 1,500 new parking spaces are needed.

"Because of the rapid pace of development in this area, it is imperative that sites be reserved now for new parking facilities, or the University not only will experience a severe parking shortage, but also will be unable to effectively remedy the situation," Blouch said.

Immediate needs in the South Campus/Health Sciences area may warrant building garages there before the proposed Lane Avenue site, across from the Fisher College of Business, she added.

Blouch told trustees the multi-use Tuttle Park Place Garage, which opened in June 1999, sets the standard for future garage construction. The garage offers 950 parking spaces, retail shops on the ground floor, and a satellite office for University Police and transportation and parking.

Trustees authorized the 15 percent increase in annual parking rates for 2000-01, recommended in the five-year plan presented to the board in June 1998. Blouch said these rate increases would generate approximately $850,000 annually to help fund construction, operation and maintenance of parking garages.

An"A" permit for 2000-01 will cost an Ohio State employee $396 for the year, up from $345 this year. A"B" permit will increase next year to $207 from $180 and a"C" permit will rise to $137.70 from $119.70. As designated in the plan, fees for west campus parking stand at 25 percent of central parking fees.

CWA approves 'landmark agreement' with OSU

Members of the Communications Workers of America Local 4501 voted nearly 5 to 1 over three days in late May to approve the landmark agreement for a new contract with Ohio State.

The contract ratification vote of 992 to 225 marked the conclusion to the process of negotiating a three-year contract between the union and the University. The 1,900 CWA members began a strike against the University and the Ohio State Medical Center on May 1, and returned to work May 22. Voting took place at various campus locations on May 23-25.

"We are enormously pleased that the strike is over and our CWA employees are back at work," said President Kirwan."It is time for the entire University community to come together, and continue doing the work of educating our students and caring for our patients in the most effective way."

Gary Josephson, president of the CWA local, said that the contract is a significant step forward for his members.

"Our members have good reason to celebrate. The contract is settled, our members are back at work and they're going to receive a significant pay increase," he said."The University has acknowledged that our members had not been sufficiently recognized in the past, and this is a good down payment on a better future."

Cathy Cooper, Ohio State director of labor relations who was the University's lead negotiator, said she is pleased that the contract vote was overwhelmingly positive.

"We entered this process seeking an agreement that everyone could feel good about. With the return to smooth-running operations at the University, we're looking forward to a stronger partnership and improved working relationship with the CWA," she said.

The new contract took effect at 12:01 a.m. May 27.

Among the provisions of the contract, non-Medical Center CWA members will receive a $1 hourly increase in the first year of the three-year accord (effective with the pay period beginning June 18); a 50-cent hourly increase in the second year, and an additional 50-cent hourly increase in the third year. The latter increases also will be effective at the start of the fiscal years.

CWA members who work in the Medical Center also will receive a $1 hourly increase in the first year of the contract: a 50-cent hourly increase effective with the pay period beginning June 18 and an additional 50-cent increase effective on their anniversary dates. In addition, these workers will receive a 40-cent hourly increase in the second year of the contract and an additional 50-cent hourly increase in the third year. The second- and third-year increases will be effective on the employee's anniversary date.

Medical Center workers will receive evening and night-shift differentials of 15 cents per hour in the first year, 20 cents per hour in the second year and 25 cents per hour in the third year.

Members of the bargaining unit also each received a $420 cash payment as part of the ratification of the agreement.

Other provisions of the agreement include a new pilot apprenticeship program for skilled trades and maintenance staff; the addition of the use of skilled trades job titles previously used only by the University Medical Center, which would allow opportunities for upgrade and promotion of qualified University staff; an agreement to review job classifications for the purpose of developing skills assessment and learning components, with CWA to play a major role in selecting classifications for review; and guarantees for the life of the agreement that the University will maintain its share of benefits costs at 85 percent of premiums for the University base plan, with bargaining unit members paying no more than the 15 percent they currently pay.

Kevin Filiatraut

College of Law student is new Board of Trustees member

Kevin R. Filiatraut, the newest student member of the University's Board of Trustees, is no stranger to university service. As an undergraduate at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Filiatraut served as president of the student union, chief justice of the student union and sophomore class president.

Filiatraut, 23, of Columbus, is a Juris Doctor candidate in the College of Law scheduled to graduate in May 2002. He graduated cum laude with a B.A. in history and philosophy from John Carroll University in 1999.

Gov. Bob Taft recently announced Filiatraut's two-year appointment to the board. He replaces Allyson Lowe, whose term expired May 13. Student members of university boards serve for two years. They have no voting power or admittance to executive sessions, but they are encouraged to voice their opinions.

Filiatraut said his decision to seek the trustee appointment came from the satisfaction he received while serving his undergraduate institution.

"It really meant a lot to me to be able to give back to John Carroll, and I'm sure serving as a trustee will give me the same satisfaction while at Ohio State," he said."It will definitely be an interesting and educational two years -- I look forward to it."

Filiatraut is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association. As an undergraduate, he also was vice president of Phi Alpha Theta history honor society, a member of the university planning committee, chairperson of the Executive Board, a member of the university appeals board and editor of The Handbook of Student Government.

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