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September 21, 2022 Collegedale, Tennessee
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Southern Accent The student voice since 1926
Students express concerns about the parking shortage on campus
Parking citation issued by Campus Safety (Photo by: Preston Waters)
Elsie Pak Collegedale News Editor This Fall 2022 semester, a total of 2,302 parking permits have been issued on campus, according to Campus Safety Associate Director Shawn Haas. The Campus Safety website lists the four different types of permits that can be issued: undergraduate, graduate, guests/visitors and faculty/ staff/volunteers. These four types then further split into subdivisions for students depending on where they may live, according to the parking map. This includes Thatcher & Thatcher South (TH); Talge (TA); Housing Apartments (H), which include Timberland Terrace and Colcord Drive; and Commuter (C). According to Haas, the breakdown of permits based on the total number issued this
semester so far are 13.6% (315) Thatcher and Thatcher South combined, 14.0% (323) Talge, 12.5% (280) Housing, 16.7% (385) Commuter, 35.5% (818) faculty/staff, 6.6% (152) guests and 1.2% (29) volunteers. From August 22 to Sept. 15, there has also been a total of 448 citations written on campus under all citation types. Some students have expressed concern and dissatisfaction with the amount of parking allotted to students on campus. On Sept. 12, Zach Kirstein, a junior finance major and Student Association member, created a petition titled “SAU-Increase Parking for Southern Village on Campus” on change.org, which requested more parking on campus for village housing parking pass holders.
In the description, Kirstein wrote: “If we can get enough signatures, I will approach the parking committee and other committees on campus to move this project forward.” In the comment section of the petition, some signers voiced their concerns and frustration about not being able to park closer on campus to classes. “As a parent, I’m very concerned for student safety,” wrote Teri Razzouk, “especially those needing to walk back up to the village after dark.” Alyssa Wolf, senior social work major who lives in Southern Village, commented, “I pay a lot for a parking permit to not be allowed to park more places on campus.” Adam Bellis, a junior social work major who lives in Talge,
also wrote in the comments, “There is not enough parking on our campus for students to park. It makes finding a parking space very difficult and having to walk in some cases very long distances from their cars to their living spaces.” A factor that may contribute to this student frustration is the designation of the Bietz Center for Student Life parking lot. The Bietz Center did not have any designation prior to this year, according to Haas, who believes it was due to construction and finishing the building. This year, however, the lot has changed to entirely commuter on the Southern parking map, and a sign was placed to designate it as such before the start of the current semester, according to Haas. No other parking
Vol. 78 Issue 3
SA to host two 423 Night Markets
Amanda Blake Managing Editor
Student Association (SA) will organize two 423 Night Markets this school year, the fifth anniversary of the event, according to SA President Kenneth Bautista, senior management major. The market, which has only occurred once per school year thus far, will take place Oct. 8 and then again April 22. Both times, it will be located in the parking lot of Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists. Bautista defined 423 Night Market as an “entrepreneurial, creative market by students for students” and added that it’s inspired by 626 Night Market near Los Angeles. It’s a place for students to showcase and sell their creations, as well as promote their businesses. Bautista said the decision to organize two markets was See NIGHT MARKETS on page 2
lot has changed designation in the last few years. “Campus Safety is currently performing parking lot counts,” said Haas.“This is to see how many spots are available at different times during the day. Once this is complete, the parking advisory committee will meet to discuss if additional parking lots need to be created, or if there’s a possibility of changing any designations.” In the meantime, alternative open lots he suggests for housing students to use are: the North side of WSMC, the Mabel Wood Hall lot and the Virginia Apartments overflow lot.
COVID-19 relief pay for student workers offered once again this semester Amanda Blake Managing Editor
Students who have missed work this semester because they had to quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19 may be able to receive relief pay, according to an email sent to the student body from Kaylie Ackerman, student employment coordinator for Human Resources (HR), on Sept. 6. The email specified that only students who meet specific criteria are eligible for this financial assistance. The student must have been actively employed in a student worker position when they were isolated or quarantined, missed regularly scheduled work hours, been seen and placed in quarantine or isolation by the University Health Center (UHC) and signed a waiver authorizing the UHC office to confirm information for HR. The student needs to initiate the process by communicating with his or her supervisor to send an email to HR specifying the name of the student, his or her ID number and dates and hours for missed work. The email must also include a statement that the student missed work due to isolation or quarantine. Brenda Flores-Lopez, associ-
ate vice president for HR, wrote in an email to the Accent that qualifying students receive their relief pay on regular pay dates. Timing depends on when documentation and communication are received. “It all starts with the student initiating this, so timing and unique circumstances of whatever else may be needed is a case-by-case,” Flores-Lopez wrote. “But, typically, our
Flores-Lopez stated that the university started offering this relief pay in the Fall 2021 semester. She explained that this aid is offered as part of an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 on campus while simultaneously helping students. department has processed this in reasonable amounts of time and within our payroll schedule timeframes.” Ackerman added in her email that relief pay can be issued retroactively for work time missed going back to the first day of this academic semester, August 22. However, retroactive pay
Relief pay can be issued retroactively for work time missed going back to the first day of this academic semester, August 22. (Photo by: Heike Trautmann) cannot be requested later than December 9. This relief pay is for Fall 2022 semester only and will be reevaluated for Winter 2023 semester, according to the email. Flores-Lopez stated that the university started offering this relief pay in the Fall 2021 semester. She explained that this aid is offered as part of an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 on campus while simultaneously helping students. “The spirit behind this aid, specifically with COVID, is so that it can reduce the risks associated with the spread, which would impact others,” Flores-Lopez added. “And additionally, in doing so, it provides some assistance so that student employees experience the least amount of financial burdens as possible.” Lilly Bennethum, sophomore psychology major, works as a RA in Thatcher Hall but missed
work the first week of school due to COVID-19. She said she has been in communication with her work supervisor who informed her that she will receive relief pay. “I think it's a really good program that they have because that is one of the concerns I had when I got COVID,” said Bennethum, regarding the relief pay. “I [thought], ‘Oh my goodness, I'm going to be out, and it's the first week of school. I'm not going to get paid for this full week, and I'm only getting 25% of my pay anyway.’ So for that amount to be cut in half was just kind of discouraging for me because it's not like I wanted to be out and not working. So, honestly, I was really relieved to hear that they did start the relief pay again this semester.” The relief pay was originally an expense that came out of government-issued funding, but that funding has since
been exhausted, according to Flores-Lopez. Now, the university is using institutional funds to pay for it. “This pay is outside of anything that any student would be eligible to receive as student employees are not regularly employed or eligible for sick pay or any other benefit,” she added, “so this is something that may or may not be sustainable for [the] future. And those decisions are made administratively each year.” In her email, Ackerman encouraged students who have questions regarding relief pay to contact her by email at kaylieackerman@southern.edu or by phone at 423-236-2278. “We hope that this effort will be a blessing and that you will finish out this semester successfully,” Ackerman wrote. “Thank you for your attention and effective communication as it may apply to you.”