system likely
By KIFLIN TURNER
News Writer
The fate of SafeRide has reached a crossroads, the verdict being that the student run service is ineffective, unorganized and is rarely if at all used by the student body.
Jay Smith, Student Body Chief of Staff said the program is currently under the process of being revamped that will include re-naming based on the negative stigma placed on it because of its inefficiencies in the past
"It's unreliable; it's inconsistent; and so we're looking towards creating the same type of service which will be reliable and consistent and something that will be able to happen for years to come," said Smith. "We have to figure out ways to publicize it and make it fashionable again and that's one of the reasons we're looking into renaming."
Past problems have been attributed to low worker turnouts as well as low student body participation.
"The first time when I used it sometimes it took a long time, and I think that's maybe why students didn't use it. Honestly I forgot about it because I haven't seen anyone use it all year," said senior Nichole Meyer. "I think that the general perception was still that it was somewhat of a hassle."
In the meantime, while the service is undergoing reconstruction, the concern over whether more students will choose to drive or walk home drunk could possibly become a pressing issue, however many students will go unaffected by its absence.
"I don't know of anything horrible that has happened because someone walked home or hitched a ride with someone else, but I think that it is something that could be helpful if it got up and going again" said Meyer.
The recent car accidents outside of the Linebacker Lounge that have included hitting two Notre Dame students, alum Julia Gillespie, and senior Joe Steirer has raised attention to the importance of SafeRide as a means of injury prevention.
"Our fellow students are not always responsible and the absence of SafeRide may contribute to that but at the same time that type of behavior existed when SafeRide existed," said Smith. "To address the Linebacker situation specifically, historically rather, it is my belief that Safe Ride hardly ever went to the Linebacker because of the location, because of it being so close to campus."
Another concern is one that the Notre Dame administration may hold as well as other authorities in the Notre Dame community — this being the concept that SafeRide is a taxi service catering to drunken, underage students.
"It's some kind of enticement to be irresponsible and not have to worry about how you're getting home — I don't think that's productive to growing up," said Dillon Hall rector, Father Paul Doyle.
The idea of the service perpetuating abusive and potentially harmful behavior is a concern that will go into the restructuring of the program.
"We don't want to condone student drinking and that's why we're trying to examine some of these different routes and some of these different places that the service might want to go to in addition to the local establishments and off-campus housing," said Smith.
However, members of the community see the service as potentially helpful to students who would otherwise make unwise decisions.
"I think that it's a good safe measure, but I just wish kids wouldn't abuse themselves to the point of not being able to use good judgements," said Lewis Hall rector Sister Annette George. "The best of all worlds would be if people would go off-campus and come home not intoxicated," said George.
Recently, incentives have been instituted to improve worker participation. With paid workers the program has hoped that measures to professionals the service will increase accountability.
"There was a lack of communication in the efforts to professionals it last year and with the onset of this administration there was a lack of communication with the previous administration about Saferide and whether or not it was running — in that sense, our office was unable to ascertain numbers as far as participation," said Smith.
All News Stories for Tuesday, November 28, 2000
