U. Council to discuss bike riding on walkways

University Council members will discuss a proposal to prohibit bicycle riding on Locust Walk, Hamilton Walk and Smith Walk at this afternoon's Council meeting. Currently, people are officially forbidden from riding bicycles over the 38th Street bridge, but if Council members approve the Safety and Security Committee's proposal, an enforcement program would also be established to deal with those caught riding on campus. The proposal also recommends that the University provide suitable bicycle parking facilities on the outskirts of campus. President Sheldon Hackney's advisory board will discuss what action it should take regarding bicycles although the president himself will not be present at the meeting. Political Science Professor Henry Teune, a Council member with a long-time concern about bicycle-related issues, said Monday that bicycles disrupt an otherwise peaceful campus. "When I walk down Walnut Street . . . those bicycles just come whizzing right by," Teune said. "A lot of faculty have gotten zinged." "I can't think of an urban campus that's nicer [with the exception of] one scar -- the scar of the bicycle," he added. Teune also said that while he likes the proposals and thinks they would improve the atmosphere on campus, he does not think they will be passed at today's Council meeting. "It will be a close vote," he predicted. Council members will also vote on the resolution to abolish the Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid. Council will reopen debate that began at the December meeting centering on the issues of excessive time committment and overlap of topics with the Provost Committee on Undergraduate Admissions. Many faculty and administrators argue that since the committees discuss the same issues, and since the statutes of the University officially charge the faculty with admissions, the Council committe is obsolete. But student Council representatives argued last month that the students who serve on the Council committee should retain their voice. And graduate students argue that since no graduate students serve on the Provost committee, they will lose their only input in the undergraduate admissions process. William Schilling, director of financial aid and one of the staff members of the Provost committee, said that while overlap is a concern and preparation for each meeting requires a good deal of time, it is important to have a large variety of input on matters of admissions and financial aid. The Council committee, however, has met only once this year, Schilling said. Schilling added that he has yet to decide whether or not he is in favor of abolishing the Council committee. Dean of Admissions Willis Stetson, who will attend the meeting along with Schilling, declined to comment. The meeting will be held at 4 p.m. today in Hoover Lounge in Vance Hall and is open to the public. (CUT LINE) Please see COUNCIL, page 2 COUNCIL, from page 1

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