SGA considers bike loan program for next spring

At the Tuesday evening meeting of the SGA, the Senate reviewed a proposal to start a bike-share program that would allow students on campus to rent a bike for a short period. It would potentially begin as soon as next March.

The proposal suggested that the bike-share program would give students the opportunity to lower their carbon footprint, lead healthier lifestyles, allow greater access to Baltimore City, and ease transportation around campus.

“It’s based on University of Chicago’s bike-library system,” senior class senator Max Dworin, one of the sponsors, said. The University of Chicago has a computerized system, and Dworin said, “we’d ultimately like to see a modern-automated system.”

The system has worked well on other campuses. According to the proposal, “based on the success of bike-sharing programs on other similar campuses, it is clear that a program is not only feasible but also would be extreme beneficial.”

The overview of the proposal states, “the absence of such a program at the Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus presents a lost opportunity to enhance student life and sustainability initiatives.”

The SGA will look to other organizations for help. “One of the school’s main concerns is safety,” Dworin said. “We want to look to the cycling team to promote safety.”

The proposal, co-sponsored by sophomore class senator Joanna Gawlik, also states that the SGA plans to collaborate with the Office of Sustainability, the Sustainable Hopkins Infrastructure Program, Students for Environmental Action and Eco-Reps.

CityRyde, an outside consulting group that assisted the University of Chicago with its system could provide the experience, software and advice, to kick start the Hopkins program.

The locations at which students could check out bikes have not been determined. Some possibilities include the MSE Library, Mattin Center, the Levering Quad, the Recreation Center and the Freshman Quad.

The SGA also discussed the idea of a Student Union – a separate building designated to student organizations that would also serve as a central meeting place to buy coffee, study and use computers. Some council members strongly supported the idea.

“We’re one of the only schools in the U.S. to not have a student union . . . That’s pretty problematic,” sophomore-class senator Archie Henry said.

Others questioned the benefits of a student union. “Mattin has been a de facto student union. Levering has been a de facto student union. Gilman has been a de facto student union . . . the campus is too spread out,” Dworin said.

“Elements of a student union are scattered in different areas,” SGA president Mark Dirzulaitis said. “To bring these all together would be expensive . . . and the process would be inefficient.”

The SGA also unanimously approved $400 of supplementary funds for a memorial service for Miriam Frankl who was killed in a car accident almost a year ago. Frankl’s sorority, Alpha Phi, is running the service.