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September 27, 2010

All:

Fall Term is off to a wild and wonderful start with students filling the parking lots before 9:00 a.m. As I walked the campus, it was fulfilling to see the excitement on our students' faces. Their sense of anticipation was occasionally tinged with frustration as they circled to find parking, frustration that, for some, led them to park in grassy patches, roadsides, and anywhere there was enough space so they could dash to their first day of classes; some of them certainly late.

With yet another year of increases in enrollment (4.2% registrations over the same time last year), I am asking all of our faculty and staff to support students the best they can; understanding their challenges with parking and planning their arrival times. If they arrive late for classes, please work with them. Things will continue to be challenging until we all settle into more of a routine and students establish alternative methods of getting to Lane and getting to classes on time.

Here are some first day statistics:

Bookstore : As of 7:00 p.m. today, fall sales at the Titan store are up 10% over FY10, which was up 13% over FY09. Customer counts are up 12% over FY10, which were up 2% over FY09. The Titan Store has served ~ 12,074 customers since September 13th. They are still serving customers as I write this email, so these numbers will rise slightly.

There were lines at the bookstore all day, starting at 7:30 a.m., but things went quite smoothly. Average wait time was 35 minutes. More than 1,400 online orders were placed this term, which has made a significant impact on reducing store traffic. Please promote this method of purchasing course materials with your students.

Parking : All lots, as well as overflow parking spaces, were at full capacity and "Lots Full" signs were placed at campus entrances by 9:30 am. Once the west lots were full, LTD buses were stuck in the traffic backup on Gonyea Drive. An officer was then stationed at the West campus entrance redirecting vehicles to the east campus entrances. Students used Eastway and Eldon Shafer as alternative parking.

By 12:00 noon most lots had parking places available once again. Officers and Lot Monitors distributed numerous one-day bus passes as they encouraged frustrated drivers to take advantage of alternative transportation options by riding the bus, carpooling or riding their bikes.

That’s all for now.

Until next time …..

Sonya