Paul Tabolt, vice chancellor for administration at the University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ at Boulder, is reviewing additional options for funding ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥-BoulderÂ’s proposed ECO Pass after receiving dozens of comments for and against the plan.
Tabolt decided today to ask the ECO Pass Project Team to bring additional funding ideas for his consideration. He made the decision in response to faculty objections and a Boulder Faculty Assembly (BFA) resolution calling for additional evaluation.
The plan, both supported and contested on campus, was to increase parking fees to pay for bus passes for all faculty and staff on the Boulder campus. In the current proposal, both campus funds and parking revenues would provide the financing. During the first four years of operation, the City of BoulderÂ’s “Go Boulder” program and the RTD also would join with ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥-Boulder to offset costs.
“The goal of the plan, besides being environmentally friendly, is to free up about 400 parking spaces,” Tabolt said. “This would delay the need for another parking structure on campus at least for the immediate future.”
Members of the Boulder Faculty Assembly, meeting in a monthly session Thursday, Oct. 9, spoke forcefully against the decision to support the bus passes with increased parking fees, citing the importance of “getting out of the subsidy business.”
On behalf of the faculty, members adopted a resolution calling for consideration of alternative funding mechanisms.
At the same time, many members of the staff, who are eager to receive the new bus pass, are questioning the delay in implementation of the plan.
“We value the opinions and needs of our various campus constituencies,” Tabolt said. “We clearly need to weigh all possible alternatives before making the final decision.”
Campus staff and faculty may comment on the ECO Pass on the Parking Services web site at .
Tabolt, who was named vice chancellor three weeks ago, said taking additional time to review all aspects of the plan is necessary.