As more than $10,000 of UCF students’ money likely sits in the bank account of a California carpool company called Zimride, a group of UCF engineering students is struggling to raise a fraction of that amount to launch a localized app designed specifically to solve the parking headaches here at UCF.
The group of students has made a quick video and is turning to the Internet and Facebook to get its message out about trying to create something to make a difference with the nightmare so many students face each day while trying to park.
The group is pleading its case on Kickstarter.com, a website where people can pledge money to help start up companies. The site warns the project will only be funded if at least $3,500 is pledged by Wednesday, Nov. 17 at 3:15 p.m. So far, $1,145 of the $3,500 has been pledged.
Meanwhile, even as the California-based carpool program SGA hoped would make a difference at UCF has attracted more than 1,100 UCF students to sign up, KnightNews.com continues to hear complaints from students who say they’ve never heard of anyone actually using the student government-backed solution, Zimride, to score a ride to campus because it is “creepy” to share a ride with a stranger.
On the other hand, the UCF engineering students’ app would have students sharing something a lot less intrusive — basic information with fellow students about where they park. Students using the UCF app would never have to have an awkward conversation with those benefiting from the information, nevermind have to share an awkward car ride with a stranger.
Here’s how the app would work: A smartphone will track your car’s location when you park using the GPS feature. When you are leaving class to go back to your car, you tell the app you’re about to leave. That earns you a credit for the app. Then, people using the app that are looking for parking will spend one credit to find out where available spots are. The app will reward people who share information with others about parking at UCF.
Even though students still have a hard time parking, SGA claims the California-based Zimride program is “successful” here in Orlando. SGA ignored KnightNews.com’s question about how many people actually used Zimride to find a ride to campus in the last two weeks. Instead, the SGA statement simply touted how 1,100 students had already signed up, revealing no information on how many actual rides it has provided.
According to SGA, current student body President Michael Kilbride’s administration funded Zimride for the next two years using money from his predecessor’s 2009-2010 “President’s Initiatives” budget — a slush fund of sorts SGA presidents have to spend on pet projects without that money being budgeted to a specific purpose in a line item when approved by the Senate and administration.
Even though the money was meant for Kilbride’s predecessor, Brian Peterson, to spend by July 2010, Kilbride chose to enter in a two-year contract for more than $10,000 with Zimride. That means seniors that graduate in Spring 2011 will be paying for a service they’ll never use in Fall 2011.
SGA defended its decision to commit to a two-year contract for a brand new service, before it was clear whether Zimride would even be effective at UCF, like it is in California, where the culture is more embracing of carpooling. In doing so, SGA sent the entire $10,000+ chunk of student activity fees straight to UCF Parking Services, which would then send the SGA money along with another roughly $10,000 chunk of public money form Parking Services to the company.
“The partnership with UCF Parking and Transportation Services allowed SGA to provide this service while splitting the cost. In addition, we saved $11,000.00 by entering into a 2 year agreement instead of 2- 1 year agreements,” read a statement from the Mike Kilbride administration to KnightNews.com.
It’s not clear from the statement whether SGA negotiated any rights to terminate the contract if Zimride didn’t meet expectations of students.
KnightNews.com is still waiting to hear back from SGA regarding this question: “Have you consulted with the auditor general in Tallahassee to ensure compliance with state law, especially considering UCF’s poor track record with transferring student fees in a way state auditors have disagreed with?”
The SGA statement did not directly address that question, however it did assert that: “The payment followed university accounting procedures.”
In the past, UCF has been slammed by state auditors for transferring millions in student fees to entities that UCF account procedures deems acceptable, but state auditors did not.
Check back for updates as KnightNews.com continues to follow the search for a solution to UCF’s parking headaches.
