Monday, December 5, 2022

Emeritus Faculty Council Liaison and Committee Reports

December 5, 2022

Report on Dec. 1 President's Committee on Athletics Meeting

The President's Committee on Athletics met in the Iowa Room of CHA at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 1, 2020. After approving the Minutes of the Nov. 3 PCA meeting, Chair Zaharas introduced Head Women's Softball Coach, Renee Gillispie, to give a brief report on her sport.

Gillispie is in her fourth year as Iowa Head Softball Coach and said the team is definitely trending upward. Iowa finished 4th in the Big Ten last season, and she expects an even higher finish this year. She said that the softball program is very Iowa oriented with most of the coaching staff and the players having strong Iowa connections. Iowa is a good state for softball and about half the members of the Iowa team are graduates of Iowa high schools. The rest of the players are also from the Midwest, except for several from California.

Next the PCA received a detailed report from Damien Simcox describing ongoing and future facilities enhancement projects. Most of the current projects are improvements to existing facilities, but several new facilities are planned for next year or two. The largest projects on the drawing boards are a new Wrestling Facility for both men and women, a new Women's Gymnastics Facility, and a new locker and training facility for Women's Field Hockey.

The three standing PCA Subcommittees then reported on their most recent meetings. Academic Achievement and Student Athlete Well-Being held a joint meeting to discuss how to enhance the commitment of student athletes to the academic enterprise. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion met to review the Department's 5-Year Strategic Plan and to discuss ways to recognize student athletes who excel in diversity, equity and inclusion.

As usual, ISAAC reported an impressive number of activities designed to bring student athletes from different sports together. Student Athlete mental health continues to be high on the ISAAC agenda.

A.D. Gary Barta was absent for health reasons, so Assoc. A.D. Burke gave the report on NCAA and Big Ten activities. She said there was little to report at this point in the year. Discussions about the Transfer Portal and NIL continue to attract attention, but as yet nothing is forthcoming in respect to further regulation. Fall sports are wrapping up and winter sports are just getting underway.

The meeting was adjourned by the Chair at 4:45 p.m.

This report respectfully submitted by Bill Hines

Parking and Transportation Committee Meeting Minutes

11/30/2022

Via Zoom

Members Present:              Paul Hanley, Pamella Hughes, Kara Park, Debra Trusty, Madeline Wilson, Rebecca Wilson, David Wittenberg

Staff/Others Present:         Mia Brunelli, Brian McClatchey, Michelle Ribble, Carol Scott-Conner, Erin Shane, Debby Zumbach and Carrie Brus

Members/Staff Absent:     Connor French, Nick Nachtman, Camden Studer

 

Meeting began at 1:32pm

Carrie took roll call based on Zoom attendance

Approval of meeting minutes

  • October 20, 2022 meeting
    • Any questions on the minutes or any changes? 
  • Motion to approve and seconded
  • Minutes have been approved

CAMBUS on-demand service

  • Presentation by Mia Brunelli
  • CAMBUS service types
    • Fixed-route and Bionic Bus
  • On-Demand service
    • Began in April 2020
    • Fixed-route ridership fell up to 80%
    • Re-evaluation of the Night Pentacrest route
    • Data is now available on ridership
      • Both on routes and at specific bus stops
  • Details of on-demand service
    • Bus stages at WCTC
    • Riders can walk up to the bus and request a ride
    • Riders can call CAMBUS Dispatch and request a ride
    • Rides would be given to/from locations served by the Night Pentacrest route
    • Service is more responsive
    • More efficient
    • Bus only provides rides when there is demand
  • Expansion of the on-demand service
    • Evaluation of ridership data for other low ridership routes in the late evenings
    • On-Demand can replace fixed-route service after 9pm during breaks/summer and on weekends
    • Service area expanded to all main campus bus stops that CAMBUS provides service
  • Potential for future solutions aimed at Bionic Bus
    • Need mini-buses, preferably non-CDL
    • Scheduling software
      • Flexible rules
      • Define service zones
      • Pick-up and drop-off locations
      • Allow for walk-on rides
      • Co-mingle Bionic and On-Demand
        • Need to report rides separately
      • Launched with Spare Labs in November 2022 after an RFP process
        • Features for customers
          • Riders schedule through the app, CAMBUS Now
          • System determines more efficient routing
          • Riders receive notifications
          • Riders can see vehicle location
        • Features for CAMBUS
          • Data and reports
          • Flexible with scheduling rules
          • Enforcement of service zones
  • What is next?
    • Adding Bionic service to the platform in spring 2023
    • Will include highly requested features from Bionic riders
      • Scheduling and cancelling rides through app
      • Trip notifications
    • Other uses
      • Research Park campus/Forevergreen UIHC development
      • Pride and Cultural Centers
      • Other low-demand areas during academic breaks
    • Ability to co-mingle Bionic and On-Demand services during the daytime hours
  • Questions/feedback
    • How is the software working?
      • It is working
      • Have not heard anything negative
      • Going as planned
    • Ability to track no-shows?
      • Yes.  Every request that comes in is logged
      • Any action against riders is pretty restrictive based on ADA guidelines
      • Data is important for reporting guidelines
    • What are the hours?
      • Fall and Spring academic sessions
        • Weeknights – 8:45pm – 12:30am
        • To/from commuter lots
      • Break periods
        • Weeknights – 8:45pm – 12:30am
        • Services all CAMBUS stops
      • Summer
        • 11:30am – 6:30pm
        • 8:45pm – 12:30am
    • Sounds like a great system
    • Maybe we can revisit this program later in the spring semester

Enhanced bike parking

  • Presentation by Michelle Ribble
  • Provides more security and features than a standard bicycle rack
  • Enhanced would look more like bike cages/lockers
  • Background
    • Prior requests have come to us from College of Medicine
    • Standard racks are designed for short-term parking
    • Need to address medium to long-term parking needs
    • Consulted the Campus Master Plan
  • Formed a task force to develop options for enhanced bicycle parking
    • 13 members
    • Mission is to recommend options and locations according to the Bikeways Master Plan
    • Main concerns are weather protection and security for bicycles
  • Options discussed
    • Racks with two points of contact
      • Can still use U-Lock
      • Bicycle support in at least two places
    • Covered racks
      • Weather protection
      • Visible
      • Potential for lighting
    • Lockers
      • Weather protection
      • Individual access
      • Portable
    • Cage/Room
      • Weather protection
      • Secure access
      • Potential for a camera
  • Recommendations
    • Reevaluate standard rack choice in Design Standards
    • Choose racks providing two points of contact
    • Include other options in Design Standards
      • Two points of contact
      • Covered racks, lockers, cages, rooms
      • Cameras, electronic door access
    • Prioritize
      • New construction projects
      • High usage areas
      • Rack replacements due to normal wear/tear
  • Next steps
    • Input from:
      • Master Planning Committee
      • Campus Planning Committee
    • Cage project potential
      • Newton Road Ramp
      • Future Hawkeye Ramp
    • Cage management
      • AMAG access
      • Policies and procedures
      • Fees
  • Could be a mitigation effort to combat bike thefts
  • Questions/feedback
    • Covered bike rack
      • Could a camera be added here?
        • Opportunity, yes. 
        • Would need additional feedback/approvals
    • Bicycle registrations
      • Bike Index has seen about 900 registrations in just one year
    • Exciting project

Email from UI Staff Council

  • Changes to Iowa City and Coralville Transit routes impacting commuters getting to work
  • Need more details to respond effectively
  • Feedback
    • Iowa City had more significant changes due to the Transit Study
    • Could it be a staffing issue? 
    • Could it be an issue of transferring to a different bus system?
    • Any feedback would be really helpful in having a conversation with Iowa City Transit
      • Court Hill route issue (morning)
        • Construction projects on the east side of Iowa City
        • Transferring is difficult to arrive at UIHC
        • Maybe CAMBUS could be helpful to some of these riders
      • Towncrest departures in the PM peak
        • Sometimes late, up to 20 minutes
        • Inconsistent
        • Downtown interchange
  • More information to come

Adjourn

  • Motion to adjourn and seconded
  • Meeting ended at 2:24pm

Submitted by Carol Scott-Connor