Housing and Food Services Issues expired parking permit

With rising gas prices and, for many, unaffordable tuition costs, the last thing a student would want to face is $90 in unwarranted parking tickets. After finding three tickets on her car windshield for not displaying a valid permit, a UW junior soon discovered that she was sold an expired parking permit by Housing and Food Services. After several phone calls by the student and her mother, HFS agreed to waive all three of the tickets.

Students rally for Mass Transit Now

To show support for the new Sound Transit plan, students from the group Mass Transit Now led a pro-Proposition 1 rally on the HUB lawn Monday. The proposition, which would greatly increase the amount of bus service and light rail available over the next few years, is at the bottom of this year’s ballot. While filling in the presidential portion may be the top priority for many students, supporters of the proposition hope that voters will instead fill their ballots from the bottom up. A debate between pro-Sound Transit Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and the proposition’s opponent, Kemper Freeman, was held Wednesday in Parrington Hall.

Recycled denim collected to provide insulation for homes Those on campus looking to discard old denim can now help contribute to a campaign assisting homes devastated by Hurricanes Gustav and Katrina. The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) at the UW is more than halfway to its goal of collecting 1,000 pieces of denim by the end of the campaign. The cotton in the denim will be broken down and used to provide insulation for the homes. The denim drive will run through Oct. 31 and accepts any form of denim.

Bike commuters receive tax break with bailout plan

The Wall Street bailout bill has so far been met with confusion, uncertainty and even hostility. However, one provision of the proposal has found a more positive reception among bike commuters. The bailout plan would provide $20 a month in tax relief for bicyclists. While the provision isn’t a significant amount, it would assist with reimbursement for biking expenses and offer a more compelling reason for non-bicyclists to change their commuting style. The plan should come as a relief for the estimated 5,000 bicyclists commuting to the UW every day.

Staffing hit hard by budget cut

Departmental staffing on campus may soon be significantly affected by a recent $4 million budget cut and hiring freeze. While the hiring freeze was ordered by Gov. Chris Gregoire in August, UW President Mark Emmert sent an e-mail last week explaining the budget reduction. The budget cut was requested by the governor after estimated revenues were revised by the state, and affects all Washington state universities receiving public funds. The hiring freeze and budget cuts, combined with a state law allowing the UW to raise tuition up to 7 percent per year, may put a strain on students as well as University staff members.

Reach columnist Julian Martin at news@dailyuw.com.