I was recently informed of the Eugene McDermott Library’s new policy prohibiting skateboards inside the building. While I understand the issues of managing space and ensuring safety for a large student body, the policy was not given enough thought. It was a sudden change and the current accommodations provided to supplement it are laughable. UTD has stated that it will hand out a limited number of bike locks which are useless for locking up a board on a standard bike rack.
I use my skateboard to get around campus fast without the worry of having to lock it up because it’s light and carry-able. A standard skateboard takes up no more space than a backpack. Applying the same restrictions to both longboards and small carryable boards is unfair as both are very different items which should not be treated the same way.
If the policy is here to stay, I ask that UTD at least consider practical accommodations. Dedicated skateboard racks in the library lobby would give students a secure place to store their boards. Other buildings on campus already have these, so this isn’t an unreasonable ask. UTD should have done this before initiating the policy as failing to do so caused a major inconvenience to students during finals week.
I have already sent an email to the library about my suggestions and have yet to receive a response.
UTD is a large campus, and in the Texas heat, efficient transportation matters. UTD attempts to appear that they care about student safety and wellbeing, but this sudden change in policy doesn’t reflect that. I believe that the commitment to student safety and wellbeing should extend to making sure students have accessible and secure options for getting around.
I am graduating this year but am concerned for my fellow comets. I hope that UTD takes my suggestions seriously and takes my feedback into consideration.