Fees ranging from $80-$300 will be raised from charging students to park on campus. Once again a decision made without imput or of course a vote from students.

I sent an email to the East Tennessean, thought I'd post it here as well since it will probably fall on deaf ears through the paper.

The new parking plan is another idea in long line of bad ideas made by ETSU's administration. First there was the half-hearted attempt to bring football back, which included outright deception by not telling students that the athletic fee was going to be raised regardless of the vote to bring football back. Then there was the smoking ban which was decided completely without student input, behind the back of the SGA, and in secret. Now we learn that we all will be forced to pay $80-$300 for parking that was free previously. Once again another decision made without student input (a survey for the parking and Access Study does not count). Where was the student vote for this pay increase? Where was the referendum for this? Where's the online poll, or the open forum to discuss this pay increase. Oh that’s right this plan is an "administrative order so there will be no vote." That’s funny; shouldn't the decision to bring football back have been an administrative order?

In light of these recent events it is now perfectly clear to me that the student vote for football was nothing more than an illusion to give off the perception that the opinions of the student body matters. Students voted down the Center for Physical Activity twice, yet an "executive order" somehow managed to get the CPA built. I think I'm starting to understand, the student vote only matters when it falls in line with the will of the administration. It must be noted that with the money raised from this parking plan ETSU could fully fund a football program, plus build a stadium. Now I understand why there was such a half-hearted attempt to bring football back, with this parking ticking time bomb waiting to go off students would be looking at a possible $550 increase in fees. My question in all of this is where is the money going? What will students pay $80-$300 for? There has been no mention of how me paying $200 is going to improve the parking situation. Plus what happens if a large majority of people buy up the $200 parking spaces and the $300 plush parking lots are left half empty going to waste? There are more questions than answers with this plan, and if the past is any indication, answers from the administration will be slow coming and unsatisfactory at best

Nut- I think the decision to not bring back football was an administrative order.

It was an administrative order to pass the buck.

Remember what Wilsie Bishop said- "We're going to raise the fees in the future, this is just a vote to decide if we want football or not."

Nut- you should spread this to every student. Quotes from a recent East Tennessean about the tobacco ban

"'It's going to happen, so you can get on board if you want, but it's going to happen regardless' - that was the message," said SGA President Joshua Shearin.
The backlash from disgruntled students has fallen on deafend ears. Because the SGA never had a formal vote the students voice was never heard and the ban was passed. Shearin wished that the SGA had made a stand but because of the divided opinions on the issue, a decision was never reached.
"I had hoped that we would come out in a strong stance either against it or for it," said Shearin.
However, Chief Operating Officer and Vice President for Health Affairs, Dr. Wilsie S. Bishop insisted that SGA was not ignored.
"There was momentum to support this before the SGA reached the point where they voted down the resolution," she said. Bishop said SGA was involved with many discussions leading up to the smoking ban.

In summary, "it's going to happen whether you like it or not" and "we involved the SGA until they disagreed".

Now, if the administration thinks this is the best course of action for ETSU long-term then they should implement their decisions and live with the consequences but don't go around saying "democracy worked" with the football vote.

I know the arguement you are trying to make.

However, even in East Tennessee, I have to ask you this-

Do you really want to allign the football revival effort with a pro-smoking movement?

From a PR standpoint, can you afford to do that?

I don't think anyone but you would make that connection. It's about the administration's hypocrisy toward students, not football promoting a smoking ban.

Look, Phil Bredesen didn't put it up to a vote for his smoking ban.

The fact is nobody is going to be sympathetic to the rights of smokers anymore. Doesn't matter if they are ETSU students or private citizens.

Most people will look at this smoking ban as the administration being a bunch of knights in shining armor protecting the students' health.