There weren’t any
romantic dinners or exotic vacations. An exchange of gifts with sentimental
value never happened, either.
The University of Utah and the Pac-12 Conference recently
celebrated their one-year anniversary, and although they weren’t serenaded on
an Italian gondola it’s safe to say this marriage is a perfect fit.
Utah football, specifically, is reaping the
benefits from the alliance. With excitement at all-time level, every game at
Rice-Eccles Stadium has sold out for the past two seasons with attendance
exceeding the 45,000 maximum capacity.
“Interest has just
boomed to the point where if new season ticket holders want tickets you had to
donate 15-hundred dollars,” said Chandler Wride, the annual fund director for
the University of Utah.”
The demand for Utah sports is through the roof. The Pac-12 announced that every football and men’s basketball game will be televised nationally
on six regional networks – Washington,
Oregon, Northern California, Southern
California, Arizona and for Utah and Colorado – the Mountain.
The 12-year
television contract with ESPN and Fox is estimated at $3 billion – the most
lucrative deal in history.
With seemingly
unlimited exposure, Utah ticket sales will reach a pinnacle on Oct. 4
when USC, an early national-championship contender and preseason No.1 team,
invades the hill. On Stubhub, tickets on the 59th row are priced at $589
apiece.
Utah and the Pac-12 is a case of love at first
sight. The two instantly clicked and this was just year-one.
The University of Utah:
why it’s a great place to get your graduate in communications
By Andy Page
Choosing where to get a graduate degree in communications is never easy
for college students especially if it is out of state. Stephanie Bor, a graduate
student in the University of Utah communication program shares why the University of Utah is a great place for grad
students both native to Utah and from out of state wanting to come study
communication.
“I had never been to Utah before I got accepted to the program,” says
Bor. “It was really weird coming here the first time and flying into Salt Lake
not knowing where anything was or what to expect but knowing that I was going
to spend the next four years of my life here.”
Bor, originally
from Chico, California, shares how she came to love living in Utah.
“I learned to love the snow,” she says. “ I really like Park City and getting away and going
snowboarding for the day to clear my mind from school.”
Explaining that although she has grown to love the snow, Bor says snow
is not all that makes studying at the U of U so great. She says that it’s how
well the communication department at the U sets itself apart by mixing the
disciplines of speech communication and mass communication.
“In all of our seminars
and classes there are people from all different kinds of back grounds and I
really have found it extremely useful to hear the perspective of speech comm.
and redirections to shine a new light on a subject and expand my knowledge,”
says Bor.
According to the U of U communication website,
the graduate program is known for its closely connected faculty and students
which give students the flexibility to design their individual programs of
study.
“It’s very independent," says Bor. “ There are a lot of options and you
can take courses outside the department and even have faculty outside of the
department on your committees.”
As advice to all incoming
communication grad students, Bor suggests that students remember that, “this
program is what you make of it.”
Everyday University of Utah students and faculty gather at the campus food court at lunch time.
Most of the students eat around four times a week at the university food court, spending in average 7 to 10 dollar each time. For some students such expense can pass unnoticed, but for others it can add significantly to their budge.
Picks of the University of Utah Food Court at Lunch Rush Hours
Angela Armero, Psychology undergraduate student at the U, says that the service provided at the U of U Food Court isn’t good as other places and the prices are to high.
“I think if they lower their prices they would probably get better business and they also should stay open until later, because students at night time don’t have anyplace to eat.” Armero said.
Mamber Armero, current student at Salt Lake Community College, visited the University of Utah before transferring to the institution next fall and noticed that the food court prices at the U seem to be higher than at the SLCC, but it offers more choices.
“At the community college I have to spend a minimum of 3 dollars if I want to pay with credit card, so my minimum spending is 3 dollars and my maximum 7 dollars usually.” Mamber said.
Kwan Klein, Political Sciences undergraduate student at the U and also part time employee at the campus food court, defends the services provided by the Food Court saying that people, especially students are always complaining about money.
“I don’t think prices are any different than other places. It’s is reasonable because the food is really good and people also tends to get a lot food.” Klein said.
Klein says that differently of the SLCC, the U of U Food Court doesn’t have limit for credit card spending.
“No minimum of maximum for credit card. Sometimes people will run their credit card for a quarter to pay a cup for water.” Said Klein.
Katie Hunt, Sustainability Coordinator of University of Utah, says that a lot effort is invested towards the quality of the food and the services at the U of U Food Court.
“We offer a number of health food choices at the food court and we are sneak about it because often they don’t look as health as they are.” Hunt said.
Hunt says that no-transfat oil is used in the food court, as an example the french fries, and they partner with the Seafood Watch to make sure to use sustainable fish for the sushi and any other dishes containing seafood.
Hunt also says that the food court at the university is run by the company Chartwells Dining Services, and as a company they also need to have revenue, however they do not sacrifice the students health or the quality of the service to obtain it.
“We are not the U of U on that sense, we are a company, we are a money maker but, between the Heritage Center and the Food Court we focus a lot on the student health and sustainability,” Hunt said, “As a prove of our commitment to the health of our students, we have a track nutrition program in our website, so students can check the nutrition content of what they are eating.”
Besides the efforts of searching meals that are grown locally, organic and sustainable, the Chartwells Dining Services also promotes and cooperates in several activities around the campus involving the food justice and sustainability issues, as such, the film activity promoted at the Student Union once a year involving a panel with food justice activists, and the Social Soup lecture and discussion monthly program.
The pre-consumed wasted scratches from all the kitchens are compost and send to fertilize the campus garden, to feed the pigs and chickens in the Salt Lake City area and to the Momentum Recycling Center for the county.
Athletic
students are huge part of going to college. Athletics bring in more money to schools than any other
program. These athletes spend
countless hours training, watching game films and sacrificing their bodies for
the chance to be known as best in the nation. They do all of this while trying to find the time to study
for a test on anything from econometrics to Anatomy. For most, academics is hopefully just a stepping stone on
getting to the next level.
In
order to become a professional football player in the NFL, an athlete must be
out of high school for three years before entering the NFL draft. During these three years, the athlete
may train and then enter the draft, or attend college for three years then
enter the draft. While skipping
the college rout might seem more appealing, it usually does not turn out as
well as one might hope.
With
going to college, the athlete gains experience and during that time is where
most of the NFL scouts do their “scouting.” While attending a college, athletes on the team, believe or
not, must have to be a student while playing a certain sport. This presents a challenge to the athlete
and brings up a question: Are they student athletes or athlete students?
“I
love the aspect of being an athlete, but the student part of college sports...
I mean, c’mon who likes school?” said Patrick Greene, the Longsnapper for the
University of Utah Utes.
Greene emphasized that being a student before an athlete is the most
important because most student athletes don’t play sports into the professional
level. “I know for me, a
longsnapper can play in the NFL for 10 plus years, its not very likely I will
get drafted.” He goes on to
explain how getting a degree is the most important part of college so that he
will have something to “fall back on” if going pro doesn’t work out.
Karl
Williams, a Fullback, agrees, “Some guys on the team have the mindset they are
good enough to go pro so they focus on the athlete aspect of being a student athlete.” There are over 420,000 student athletes in the nation and just
about all go pro in something other than sports. “I have heard of guys just on the team for the scholarship
and they happen to be good at sports.
They know they are not good enough to be athletes at a professional
level, so they work really hard in school,” added Williams.
Being
a student athlete implies that a student enrolled who plays a college sport are
involved in secondary activities that betters the college experience. As the NCAA states, “Student-athletes
must, therefore, be students first.”
The upsetting part is, most views on the athletes and in some cases views
of the school, puts more of a focus on the athletic programs, rather than the
academic, which takes away from the point of going to college.
The University of Utah’s ballet
department is highly selective in the students that are
chosen. Only 30 percent of the students that apply to the restricted
major are accepted.
Because
it is a restricted major, once students are accepted into the
University of Utah, they then must audition for the department in order
to get in. “We are rather strict, which helps maintain the quality of
our dancers, “said Regina Zahrin, assistant professor of the University of Utah ballet
department. “Those who make it to us have been dancing all their lives,
they grey up dancing
because it takes long years of training. That means that they are very
hungry and that means that they really want to succeed,” said Zahrin.
“I
have been dancing since the age of three and pre-professionally since
I’ve been out of high school,” said Vinnie Prisbrey, graduate student of
the University of Utah’s ballet department. Prisbrey was also one of
the sugar plum fairies in last years “The Nutcracker” show performed by the University of Utah’s ballet department.
“I
chose the University of Utah because it’s such a classically based
ballet department. They have really strong teachers like Maureen Laird
from Ballet West that have really helped me to grow,” said Bailey Wheeler, ballet student at the University of Utah.
Although
the major is very demanding of students, they enjoy taking fewer
academic classes which allows them more time for dance.
“What
I like most is how I get to dance all day long and only take a few
academic classes during the day. That way I really get to focus on how I
perform, my training, and how I can better myself as a dancer,” said
Wheeler.
Ballet
students train for long hours and put on performances at the University
of Utah in their own Hayes Chirstensen Theatre, located in the Marriott Center for Dance.
“I like to perform. It’s a lot of training and practices,” Prisbrey said.
The
strict criteria of the department and professors who are and have been
dancers themselves, keep students motivated and looking forward to a
career in ballet. “It’s like singing. If you don’t have a voice you’re
not going to make it into opera,” said Zahrin jokingly. But the reality
of it is that it is true.
The Academy of Dental Careers is continuously providing free
cleanings and sealants to children who lack insurance or funds to afford dental
work.
As part of their twelve-week program, students at the
academy donate 10 to 15 hrs of service to their communities. Jan Boyer, director of the Academy
said, “We implemented the program because we felt it was important for the
students to give back to the community. “
Students are given the opportunity to plan, organize, and
carry out the service projects. “Free cleanings and sealants” is held two to three
times a year. The sealants help prevent cavities, while the cleaning removes
tartar build up.
A family of eight children was benefited from one of these events. Douglas Gordiano, a father of eight children all under the age of 15 said, “I
currently don’t have insurance because I was laid off. I can’t afford a dentist
appointment for all of my children. I appreciate the services the school
provides."
Students from the Academy also believe in the importance of
patient education. As one of the service projects, they had to prepare a 30
minute oral education class and present it to kindergarteners, first and second
graders, members of the Boys and Girls Club, and the Boys Scouts of America.
With donations from dentist in the community, students are capable
to put together hygiene kits to give to the children at the time of patient education. The hygiene kits include a toothbrush,
toothpaste and floss.
Monica, a current student, expressed her feelings after
giving oral hygiene education at Rosamond Elementary School, “ I feel like I am
more prepared to talk to my patients about health care at home… it was really
fun, I really enjoyed it!”
Boyer, Director of the Academy said, “ This is a great
experience for students and also for the people that receive the benefits… We
reach out to the public were ever we see that there is a need.”
The Academy of Dental Careers will continue to provide Dental Health Education,Free Sealants and Cleanings.
University of Utah Students Have
Unlimited Access To News By Germanus Roland Seikaly
With
all the choices that University of Utah
students have to access news, what kind of platforms are they using, with so
many outlets to seek out newsworthy events, what is the choice of U of U
students? Simone
is a graduate student I interviewed, she stated, “ I like the Internet, it is
fast and easy and very convenient”. With convenience and ease, the Internet
with its speed and ability to update news faster than radio, television and paper, is a reoccurring trend for student
gathering news worthy events. Even
though paper readership is drastically declining, it is still offered for free
to students on the campus of the U of U.
The
more I searched around the campus looking to see how students gather their news
I found that most were engaged in reading from computer screens and smart
phones. I asked Simone when she reads the paper, “ I use to read the paper
mostly for the obituary
section. I have to admit, getting news from the Internet is more convenient and I can be updated of breaking news on my
smartphone.”
Television news is becoming less attractive to students because of more choices the Internet provides. I asked Simone if she
likes watching television news like the locals and national news programs,
“Watching the local news anchors are not always my first choice but if I want
to get more in-depth on a story I watched on the news telecast, I will go to
there website if the story interests me. For national news, I like to watch Brian Williams on NBC.”
With
technology ever improving, the students of the U of U will be on the cutting
edge on how to gather news. Paper and television news are still stalwart’s of a
century gone by, their use may no longer be attractive to the younger
generation and at one point may be extinct.
Whether the record was recorded on stone tablets or papyrus rolls from the days of Ancient Egypt, printed word such as pages from the Gutenberg Bible, wax cylinders accounting for the first recorded sounds, or film and tape marking the advent of moving picture, it lives on today in the Special Collections Department of the Marriott Library at the University of Utah.
According to Paul Mogren, Ph.D, a librarian for the department, "it is said that the Special Collections area of the University of Utah's library is the State of Utah's single most valuable possession." Dr. Mogren justified this statement by saying that, "many of the items held in this library are one of a kind, many are irreplaceable, and many would be very very expensive to evaluate".
The Marriott library was dedicated May 17, 1968 and the Special Collections has been going since that time. It is made up of rare books, manuscripts, which are individual documents about various topics, a multi media collection which encompasses film, tape and photographic history. The collection also focuses on the history of the University of Utah. The collection is acquired through various means. Some are purchased by the University, some donated, and some bought with private donations.
Many items housed in the department are available digitally and the text has been reprinted, but the department offers the ability to come face-to-face with items housed in the Special Collections. The only exception being film which the department digitizes in house.
The Special Collections Department remains a hidden treasure on the campus of the University of Utah and Dr. Mogren feels that something is lost to those who do not take the time to visit this department. "Some of the material we have is not available any place else. Someones diary from the pioneer period is just here, this is the only place it is in the whole world. It was handwritten once and never reproduced. That is what makes the Special Collections unique."
From keying cell
phones to locate a campus shuttle to tapping U-Cards to ride freely on TRAX,
students at the University of Utah have a myriad of options, some potentially
unknown, when it comes to effective navigation to and around the sprawling campus.
As
the cars of frustrated students spill out of the scarce and crowded University
of Utah parking lots on a daily basis, the need for alternative forms of
transportation has become a priority for many students and even the
administration. The somewhat traditional method of driving to campus in a
single occupant vehicle now is a last resort for many students, as new methods
of transportation provide cheaper, faster and more hassle-free ways of getting
around the campus and surrounding the community.
The
Commuter Services brochure outlines
many alternative modes of transportation available to students throughout the
year. According to the brochure, the UTA
Ed-Pass allows students to use their university identification, or U-Card, as a
valid way to freely access TRAX, UTA buses and Frontrunner
trains. One of the few stipulations is
that students must tap their card on and off on the designated stations when
boarding and exiting TRAX stations.
Casey Grey is a
student majoring in sociology and uses TRAX on a daily basis. He said he likes
the fact that the system has been growing over the past few years by adding
more stops and routes, and that riding TRAX is helpful to him in many ways.
“I ride it because
it is free with my tuition and saves me gas money,” he said. “Also it is just
easier because I can do homework on the TRAX instead of driving so that’s
always convenient.”
Students can also access free campus shuttles,
which run from 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., and even view a live shuttle map from a computer. Students
can also text a stop identification number to 41411 to receive the location of
the two closest buses of each color for that given stop, according to the
brochure. The brochure also addresses Rideshare,
biking and Car Share
as other transportation options students can pursue.
Ryan McDonald is a
communication major and said that he relies heavily on TRAX and public
transportation to fulfill his needs.
“I don’t drive so
public transportation in general is my way of getting around and I see it
better that I don’t have to worry about parking once I get here to campus,” he
said. “Compared to any alternatives that I might have, public transportation
and using TRAX really is a great system for me to use.”
Of
course, not every student is taking advantage of these transportation options. One
problem with all these services is that students may simply not be educated or
informed about them. Adam Tobler, a student majoring in exercise and sports
science, said lack of information is the main reason why he does not use TRAX
or busses, but instead drives or walks to campus.
“I
haven’t really been educated on how to use the busing systems,” he said. “I’m
sure it’s a great mode of transportation but I have not been educated and don’t
have the experience with them like other students.”
As
students become more educated and aware regarding the transportation options
available to them, whether through administrative promotion or word-of-mouth, any
empty TRAX or shuttle seats are likely to fill up faster and faster with each passing day.
Three experiences, three stories, three perspectives batting the negative stereotypes of mental illness.
When you hear the phrase 'mental illness' what comes to mind? Be honest, it's not positive is it? Most people think of words like psycho, weird, odd, and crazy. Many times people avoid those who they think have a mental illness. The truth is you can't tell who has a mental illness and who doesn't. One in four people in the United States are impacted by mental illness in one way or another. Mental illness doesn't discriminate against age, race, or gender and people can't tell who is living with a mental illness and who is not. These three experiences of people who have been impacted by mental illness will prove this point.
T.J. N. is a student at the University of Utah and a Mentor at NAMI Utah. He enjoys snowboarding, mountain biking, and other various outdoor activities. He participates in normal college aged behavior. If you saw him walking down the street, you couldn't pick him out of the crowd. T.J. also has depression. He recalls,"One time I went skydiving...imagine like going up, flying in a plane, with a parachute strapped to your back. I jumped out of the plane, pulled the shoot, landed and got in my car and drove away. I didn't feel anything. That's when I realized something was wrong." He believes that there is a negative stereotype of mental illness. "People, family and friends, just say 'snap out of it'. It's not that easy. People hear the word depression they think sad. When I hear depression I think of jumping out of a plane and feeling nothing. Most people think you can just snap out of it, or it's a kind of a moral thing. They think that if you just work hard enough you won't be mentally ill. It's like a puzzle... you can't just will yourself out of it." T.J. also believes that there are different things that work for different people. For him it's eating healthy, exercising, and watching his thoughts. He had this advice for those living with a mental illness, "Find out what's out there. I would recommend going to NAMI. It's a place where you can talk openly and not get the snap out of it thing."
Wendy Fayles is the Programs Director of the Utah chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness or NAMI. Fayles says she became an advocate for mental illness, "because two out of my three children have a mental illness. I found NAMI because I got involved with my children's PTA program." She also became an advocate to battle the stereotypes. Fayles says that the biggest stereotype out there was that people with mental illnesses are stupid or violent. This is not true; they are creative and productive, just like everyone else. Fayles is used to dealing with people who don't know anything about mental illness. According tor her, mental illness is just like any ohter disease. "It's really like any other illness. If someone gets diabetes you wouldn't blame them, so why blame someone for having a mental illness? It's a biological disorder within the the brain. Those with mental illness are not the disease, they are still the person they were, and they just have an illness, like diabetes. It's nothing that they did wrong. It's a brain disorder."
Kerri Ernstsen is a kind-hearted, caring person. She has always wanted to help people, and she does. Ernstsen runs a support group and is a Mentor at NAMI. She also lives with a mental illness. She has dealt with a mental illness in every stage of her life. Ernstsen recalls how she had delusions of grandeur and believed that God would love her only if she did things in certain way. She would pray and study her scriptures for hours each day. She believed that if she ate too much food, the angels would get upset with her. Ernstsen said, "the big whammy came when I believed that I was going to be the first woman prophet of my church. When my name wasn't announced over the radio, I had a meltdown. My mom called me and said she had made an appointment with a psychologist. I ran away. Later, I decided to go and it changed my life." Ernstsen has had a lot of experience and uses these experiences to help others who are struggling. She said that her support groups not only help those who attend but they also help her. "They give me strength and bring me happiness." She has not let her mental illness stop her from doing what she loves.
People living with mental illness are just like everyone else, as seen in the stories above. If you didn't know their stories, you couldn't pick them out of the crowd. Your neighbor, your professor, or your best friend may be impacted by mental illness. But if people don't learn about mental illness the negative stereotypes will continue. Change is possible but everyone needs to do their part. For those who have a mental illness and feel the impact of stereotypes, Fayles had these words of encouragement: "Don't give up. Don't think it's the end of the world. There are lots of people who are just like you, that are dealing with the same issues. You aren't alone. There's help, there's hope for a successful, functional life, and you can be happy."
by
JAVAN RIVERA Derks Field Image Courtesy of Utah State Historical Society
Shawn Porter, 43, with a sample of the Braille text that will be placed directly on his artwork for UTA's "Art in Transit."
For
everyday people the world can often seem dull. We wander through our lives, habitually
proceeding from task to task. Rarely do we stop to appreciate the world around
us, much less take inspiration from it.
Shawn
Porter, however, is not an everyday person. The facilities supervisor for the
arts and sculpture buildings at the University of Utah,
Porter sees inspiration in places few would think to look. From that
inspiration are born pieces of art that are as reflective of their environments
as they are creatively breathtaking.
Porter,
who has had work featured in both public places as well as more traditional
gallery settings, didn’t begin his career as an artist. In fact, his artistic
inspiration stems from more practical creations.
Having
grown up in Lehi, Utah, Porter, 43, spent more than 13 years working as a
professional woodworker, designing and creating functional pieces of furniture.
It was that time spent honing his skills with wood that actually allowed him to
branch into art, Porter said.
“The
technical end of woodworking or being a craftsman has given me a platform to
spring off of as far as making artwork is concerned,” Porter said. “People
often say, half-jokingly, if you can build a chair you can build anything.”
Since
coming to the U, Porter has expanded his use of materials beyond wood. His time
working in the Department of Art and Art History
has allowed him to gain a better knowledge of the “artist’s dialogue and
process.”
In
2010 Porter began working on a project for the Utah Transit Authority’s (UTA) “art in
transit” program. The agency, in collaboration with the Salt Lake City Arts Council, commissions local artists to create
pieces for the various TRAX stations and routes that run throughout the Salt
Lake Valley.
Porter
believes public art, such as his work for “art in transit,” should be
reflective of the cultural and historical values of the area in which it’s
being placed.
“In
a way I think public art is in place to represent the community,” Porter said.
He
wants his work to be as much a representation of the public area surrounding it
as it is a creative piece of art.
“That’s
what public art is really supposed to do. That’s what it’s intended for, in my
mind. That is, it isn’t just pretty decoration in a location. It definitely
references local environment, culture, history, and it all depends on the
history and culture of that area.”
Justin
Diggle, an assistant professor of the
Department of Art and Art History, at the U, agrees with Porter. Having worked
on the committees for both the Salt Lake Art and Design Board in 2003, as well
as the University committees, Diggle aided in the selection process for past
“art in transit” pieces.
“With
any public art I think you have to be sensitive to the area,” Diggle said. “You
have to be sensitive to the people who live around there, people who are going
to use it.”
Porter’s
work will be installed at the 1950 W. North Temple TRAX stop,
and will be modeled after the wetlands and waterways that exist between the
Salt Lake City Airport and the stop. It’s expected to be installed around
September of this year.
Porter
said he wants his work to draw attention to the fact that the Great Salt Lake
is actually a thriving wetland full of life.
“It
[the Great Salt Lake] is not just a wasteland. It’s not just this smelly thing
that people think it is,” Porter said. “It really is a thriving ecosystem.”
Porter’s
minimalistic design for his “art in transit” project will be made primarily of
stainless steel, a bit of a departure from the wood materials he’s used for
most of his life. The change has been a good one, he said.
“That’s
the challenge I really enjoy. The thinking through an idea and then bringing
that to life through the use of different materials and the complexity of those
materials.”
Porter’s
work will include two large steel plates, elevated two feet above the ground to
simulate a river’s surface. It will also include segmented pipes that evoke the
idea of river reeds resting among a riverbed of smoothed metal stones. Porter
is fabricating three minimalist representations of birds associated with the
Utah wetlands that will also be placed throughout the piece.
“I
think it’s really critical also to draw visitors into that conversation of—what
is this place? What is it like? What might I experience in visiting Salt Lake
City?” Porter said.
He
wanted to ensure his work reflected more than just the natural surroundings
leading up to his stop, but also the areas of public access nearby. For the
1950 W. North Temple stop, that includes the Utah State Library for the Blindand Disabled.
As
a way of incorporating the library into his piece, Porter included an artist’s
statement about the piece as well as some poetry about the Great Salt Lake and
the birds that migrate there. The poetry will be written in Braille, directly
on the piece.
A sample of the Braille that will be part of Porter's work.
Roni
Thomas, the public art program manager for the Salt Lake City Arts Council,
said that Porter’s inclusion of Braille on the piece was yet another
inspiration from the well of his creativity.
“Shawn
recognized that there was an opportunity to reach out to an audience that
ordinarily couldn’t participate because of their visual impairment,” Thomas said.
Whether
it be through addition of Braille, or simply, the inspired reflection of Utah’s
beauty, one thing is certain—Porter’s creativity is sure to shine through his
new piece.
“A
lot of people just look at public art as decoration,” Porter said. “But I think
it’s important for people to take something from the work that is there.
Whether they recognize that it is a representation of something in their
community or not, I think at the base level people can at least take
[something] from the aesthetic.”
UTA’s New Add Campaign has U Students Tapping by Meish Roundy
Utah Transit Authority’s TRAX and the University of Utah have encouraged
students to tap on and tap off on card readers located at train platforms since
its creation in 2009.
University TRAX
stations have signs reading "Tap it or Ticket" with a warning that
the penalty could be a $150 ticket. UTA showed they were serious
about this campaign when TRAX officers began carrying devices that registered
if student’s tapped onto the TRAX with a UCard or not.
Jesse Sheets,
a student at the U, claimed that before the signs he never tapped on, “Last
year you did not have to tap on or tap off. If you had your UCard they
had no way of knowing if you had tapped on or not.” Camille Larson,
another student at the U, claimed, “I didn’t use to (tap on or tap off) but
they are really strict about it now. I don’t want to pay $150 if I
get caught."
The University provides
students with UCards allowing students to ride free if they tap on and
off. Knowing how many students ride the TRAX is important because,
according to the University’s transportation web page, “UTA bases its fee to the U
for the UCard service on ridership. The U needs to have an accurate
count of how many of its students, faculty, and staff are using the UTA
system.”
UTA
and the U of U have tried many ways to implement and encourage students to tap
on and tap off. In 2009 students who did not tap on and tap
off were threatened to have their UCards deactivated.
In the fall of 2012, the University placed the names of students
and faculty in an I-Pad 2 drawing if they had tapped on and off the TRAX over
ten times a month. Ultimately UTA’s new “Tap it or Ticket” add campaign seemed
to be most successful in getting students to tap on and off.
Welcome to the newsblog for Comm 3555 Convergence Journalism. We will be sharing our work with our classmates and with the world right here on our blog! Enjoy.
By Trevor Phibbs
