By Ashley Obrey
Staff Writer
SGA’s highly anticipated SafeRides program, launched last year with much fanfare, remains just that . . . highly anticipated.
An overspending of last year’s SGA funds has caused a slight budget defIcit that will push back the start up of this year’s SafeRides program until the new budget is approved on Sept. 24.
“Student Activities and SGA both are for SafeRides, but we don’t want to sign a contract until the Senate votes on our budget,” SGA Vice President Nicole Garcia said. “We are not having any difficulty resigning the contract.”
According to Garcia, last year’s spending will affect all of SGA, not just SafeRides. She and SGA President Jason Palmer have worked all summer with former treasurer Annie Shaw to see what went wrong. Her conclusion: “It was an honest mistake.”
Since the unveiling of SafeRides in the spring, SGA spent roughly $800 to execute the program, not including the added cost of about $2,000 for publicity, key chains and flyers. SafeRides was utilized by about 30 students per month for the three months it was in operation.
“We view this as a success, because we feel that the program was useful to a good amount of students and not abused,” Palmer said.
The success of the SafeRides program has been discussed, tested and debated by students who were glad to make use of discounted taxi rides provided for those under the influence of alcohol or in some potentially dangerous situation.
There were some problems last year, including long waits, the absence of some discounted fares and the lack of awareness on the part of the contracted Independent Taxi Company. These bumps in the road forced SGA to rethink some aspects of the program and consequently have caused some doubt among Pepperdine students, some of whom have no idea what’s going on with SafeRides.
“From what I’ve heard, it was not successful because no one used it and Pepperdine never promoted it,” junior Brad Johnson said. “I figured it would be eliminated or changed.”
The SGA Executive Board is on the same page.
“In improving the program, I think publicity and gaining students’ trust is a goal,” Garcia said.
Palmer expressed the same sentiments, asserting that once the budget is passed and contracts are drawn up with the taxi company, “[SGA] will be working to promote the program and see that every student knows that it is there for them at any time.” He said he hopes to make students aware that SafeRides exists to remove any student anonymously from any potentially harmful situation.
“Examples might include being in a threatening situation, not being in a stable condition to drive, having a car break down, etcetera,” said Palmer. “We simply want students to know that regardless of their situation, they always have an option for a safe ride home.”
The officers are determined to improve the program in any way necessary and encourage students to stop by their office at TCC 260 or call ext. 4360 with any comments or suggestions.
September 11, 2003