Tag: skateboarding

2018-2019, Anonymous, Answered

Students on Skateboards and Bicycles

Questioner: Anonymous

Posted to:  Shari Shuman, Vice President, Administration & Finance

Students riding skateboards and bicycles on the sidewalks and breezeways near the academic buildings has created a very dangerous situation. At least once or twice a day,  I observe one of these students coming down a narrow sidewalk at full speed, weaving in and out of the pedestrians.

Yesterday, one young man rode his skateboard on a crowded sidewalk while looking at his iPhone. I often have to step aside onto the grass to avoid the possibility of being struck.

Response from the Floor by Vice President Shuman:

In the month of November, 80 students were cited for pedestrian moving violations.

Response from UNF Police Chief Frank Mackesy:

The University Police Department (UPD) does enforcement of skateboard violations on a regular and routine basis. We handle both on our own and in response to complaints. This is a problem area that UPD takes seriously and will continue to work as time permits.

2017-2018, Answered

Skateboarding and Smoking on Campus

April 6, 2017

Questioner: Anonymous
Posed to: Shari Shuman, Vice President of Administration & Finance, and John Hale, Assistant Vice President of Physical Facilities
This morning, I saw a student riding a skateboard under a walkway right beside the “No skateboarding sign” and this student was smoking at the same time. What is the enforcement policy on skateboarding, and how can it be enhanced, especially given the narrow pedestrian traffic paths around the Skinner-Jones construction site where skateboarding is often observed?

 

Partial answer from FA President Pyati from the floor, regarding smoking:
A question regarding smoking enforcement was asked at the December 2016 FA meeting, and the response provided by VP Mauricio Gonzalez appears in the January 12 FA meeting Questions and Responses index on the FA website. 


Support Services Committee received the response from UPD Chief Mackesy during October 26, 2016 meeting:
UPD “will not enforce” the smoking ban. He specifically mentioned not writing citations for those found smoking on campus. This is in opposition to the stroll it, don’t roll it policy, which the UPD does enforce with citations and verbal admonitions.

2016-2017, Answered

Skateboarding in Parking Lots

March 2, 2017

Questioner: Pali Sen

Posed to: Shari Shuman, Vice President of Administration & Finance, and
John Hale, Assistant Vice President of Physical Facilities

One evening, I was about to make a left turn in a parking lot on the UNF campus, and two students crossed my car on rollerboards – they came out of nowhere. I had to slam on my brakes. Some students seem to use the parking lots as playgrounds. Can we get some border collies to chase these rollerboards away from the parking lots (not the students), before someone gets hurt?

Response:

Dr. Richard: Please see Dr. Gonzalez’s response below to the Faculty Association question regarding skateboarder’s. Thank you, Mary

Thank you for your question. I have consulted with Chief Mackesy, and skateboarding violations are the likely most common complaint UPD address, and UPD enforces the UNF skateboard policy regularly. When a skateboarder is caught in violation of University rules, they can receive a warning, a paying ticket, and/or a conduct referral to the Dean of Students Office. One or all of these may occur depending on the interaction at the time of the violation and if the student is a repeat offender; warnings may be issued at any time, but an officer must witness the violation to issue paying tickets and conduct referrals. However, as with all University rules violations, a professor can also issue a referral to Student Conduct should they see a violation of the skateboarding policy. It is not necessary to call the UPD to take such action

2015-2016, Answered

Parking Lot Roadside Pavement Markers

Questioner: Scott Hochwald

Posted to: Shari Shuman, Vice President Administration & Finance

From Scott Hochwald— In the parking lot behind building 14, there are some roadside pavement markers that stick out a lot on one side, and people are tripping on them. He would like the issue addressed.

From Jose Franco: There seem to be an increase in amount of students skateboarding on 2nd floor walkways. Pali Sen expressed concern they will fall and break bones, which will impact their class attendance.

Response from Shari Shuman, Vice President Administration & Finance:

Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information to the below responses. Thank you.

 

Question from April 15

From Scott Hochwald-In the parking lot behind building 14, there are some roadside pavement markers that stick out a lot on side and people are tripping on them. He would like the issue addressed.

 

Response:

  1. Parking Services appreciates you bringing this to our attention. The issue was created by the line being 20 ft. long which placed the reflector beyond the rear of a parked car where pedestrians can potentially trip. This issue did not occur in spaces with lines that were 18ft. or shorter since parked vehicles would essentially block/cover any reflectors. The following actions were taken:
    Parking Services removed all the reflectors on all 20 ft. lines in lot 9.
  2. Parking Services no longer uses reflectors except for ADA spaces, or fire hydrant locations.
  3. These new specifications have been incorporated into our space guidelines for future projects.
  4. The plan going forward is to remove existing reflectors only on lines discovered to be longer than 18ft, or when we redo a lot (i.e. new asphalt). A mark remains on the asphalt when a reflector is removed. We didn’t see a need to remove reflectors that were not a trip hazard and end up with
    an aesthetics issue.

Question from April 15

From Jose Franco-There seem to be an increase in amount of students skateboarding on 2nd floor walkways. Pali Sen expressed concern they will fall and break bones, which will impact their class attendance.

 

Response:

These comments were provided to the University Police Department. The Police are actively patrolling the covered walkways this semester stopping and providing warnings to students. In addition, they created a brochure with the skateboarding rules and hands them out to the students. If they get stopped
a second time, UPD will give the student a ticket.

2012-2013, Anonymous, Answered

Skateboarding on Campus

Questioner: Anonymous

Posted to: Shari Shuman, VP of A&F / Thomas Serwatka, VP & COS to the President

“In the past two years, the number of skateboarders on campus has increased exponentially. Besides ignoring the signs currently posted on campus, they race through crowds of people even through the walkways that are only 2-4 feet wide. Recently at FSCJ, a pregnant woman was struck by a skateboarder and almost lost her baby.

It has gotten to the point that every day that I walk to class, I am in fear. As this is my workplace, I do not feel that I should be subjected to this type of risk. I also have students who have had boards fly at their shins, and in a quick poll, half the students in my large lecture agree that skateboarders are an issue.

Given that they pose a workplace hazard to faculty and staff as well as posing a huge liability for the university, what can be done to curtail skateboard use on campus? Like cars, are there strips that can be laid in parts of campus to make the boarders pick up their boards and walk at certain places?”

 

Written response from John E. Dean, Chief of Police:

Every week UPD conducts deployments (officers assigned for a specific purpose) in reference to skateboards and bicycles in the crosswalks and the core campus area. In addition to the deployments, the officers assigned to the core are required to monitor and enforce bicycle and skateboard violations daily. At the beginning of each fall term we (in conjunction with Healthy Osprey) conduct a threefold education and enforcement program. In the first phase officer’s hand out educational material to violators for a specified time period, in the second phase they issue warnings to violators and give t-shirts to those that comply (positive reinforcement) and in the final phase they start issuing paying citations. In addition to this program we also talk about it at student orientation and other group meetings. Since January 1st of this year, UPD has issued over 100 written/warning and verbal citations to skateboarders and bicyclists.

 

Since January 1st, there have been (to our knowledge) two people hurt as a result of skateboards. In each case the skateboard rider fell off their board and only injured themselves (no other person injured). In only one case this year (reported to us) has there been any property damage. At this time Student Affairs and the Police Department are exploring other options to address this issue.