2008 Woodie Awards
Ride will offer safety
Meagan Birely
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: News
Reminders to "Party with a Plan" are all over campus. Part of this plan includes not drinking and driving. Now the University of Northern Colorado is one step closer to providing a safe ride program.
"UNC has never had a safe ride program before," said Rico Wint, president of the Student Representative Council.
Part of the reason for this is that UNC has never had an alcohol related death from drinking and driving.
"It is good we have never had a death, but we would like to be more precautionary, especially with the recent administration's ideas for expansion," Wint said.
Adriane Zachary, the vice president of university relations for SRC, has been working on a plan for a safe ride program all year.
"We have gathered needs assessments, mandates and lit reviews," Zachary said. "The information is ready, we just need to work through all of it and evaluate what steps we need to take."
Zachary has looked at how Texas A&M University and Colorado State University have structured their programs for help.
"Our program is based off of these two programs," Zachary said.
RamRide, the CSU safe ride program, was modeled after the Texas A&M CARPOOL (Caring Aggies R Caring Over Our Lives) program.
According to the RamRide Web site the program's goal is to provide a safe, nonjudgmental ride to improve safety of the Fort Collins community.
RamRide is a free service offered to all students that is run by volunteers. Volunteers are used in the phone room, driving the vehicles and navigation.
The vehicles driven are rental cars with a RamRide logo on the side, so no volunteers are required to use their own car.
"Our program will also be volunteer-based, we have had a lot of student interest already," Zachary said.
UNC has had trouble starting a safe ride program before.
"It isn't that our administration doesn't want a safe ride program, it just has to be done exactly right," Zachary said. "Other groups have been interested before, but once they see how much work it is, it doesn't happen."
Zachary said she will continue to work on the program during the summer, working out a timeline, protocols and making sure there are no loopholes.
"Without a doubt we are going to make this happen," Zachary said. "I am very dedicated to it. It is important to all students whether they drink or not."
Zachary will present the program to administrative voices for approval next fall.
"We have to make sure we have a solid program," Zachary said.
As of now, Zachary said shehopes the program will be running next spring.
"We plan on having it run Wednesday and Friday nights," Zachary said. "If that is successful, we will possibly add days."
Zachary said she wants the program to serve students in a positive way.
"If we teach safe habits now, they will continue as students get older," Zachary said.
"UNC has never had a safe ride program before," said Rico Wint, president of the Student Representative Council.
Part of the reason for this is that UNC has never had an alcohol related death from drinking and driving.
"It is good we have never had a death, but we would like to be more precautionary, especially with the recent administration's ideas for expansion," Wint said.
Adriane Zachary, the vice president of university relations for SRC, has been working on a plan for a safe ride program all year.
"We have gathered needs assessments, mandates and lit reviews," Zachary said. "The information is ready, we just need to work through all of it and evaluate what steps we need to take."
Zachary has looked at how Texas A&M University and Colorado State University have structured their programs for help.
"Our program is based off of these two programs," Zachary said.
RamRide, the CSU safe ride program, was modeled after the Texas A&M CARPOOL (Caring Aggies R Caring Over Our Lives) program.
According to the RamRide Web site the program's goal is to provide a safe, nonjudgmental ride to improve safety of the Fort Collins community.
RamRide is a free service offered to all students that is run by volunteers. Volunteers are used in the phone room, driving the vehicles and navigation.
The vehicles driven are rental cars with a RamRide logo on the side, so no volunteers are required to use their own car.
"Our program will also be volunteer-based, we have had a lot of student interest already," Zachary said.
UNC has had trouble starting a safe ride program before.
"It isn't that our administration doesn't want a safe ride program, it just has to be done exactly right," Zachary said. "Other groups have been interested before, but once they see how much work it is, it doesn't happen."
Zachary said she will continue to work on the program during the summer, working out a timeline, protocols and making sure there are no loopholes.
"Without a doubt we are going to make this happen," Zachary said. "I am very dedicated to it. It is important to all students whether they drink or not."
Zachary will present the program to administrative voices for approval next fall.
"We have to make sure we have a solid program," Zachary said.
As of now, Zachary said shehopes the program will be running next spring.
"We plan on having it run Wednesday and Friday nights," Zachary said. "If that is successful, we will possibly add days."
Zachary said she wants the program to serve students in a positive way.
"If we teach safe habits now, they will continue as students get older," Zachary said.
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