The Velorution Will Be Incentivized

Wisconsin college gives away bikes to students who pledge not to drive

Posted at 10:25 AM on 14 Feb 2008

Photo: iStockphoto

Ripon College, a private liberal-arts school in Wisconsin, has launched a program to give new bikes to first-year students who pledge not to bring their cars to campus for the year. Prompted by concerns that the school might have to expand parking lots into green space if the growing student population keeps driving to (and parking at) school, Ripon decided to take the unconventional approach instead. The school hopes a few hundred of this year's new students will agree to the deal, especially those who were originally planning on driving. Administrators have high hopes. "We're trying to change the culture," said Ripon President David Joyce. "I figure it's easier to bribe people than to punish them." Students who take the bribe will get a free Trek 820 mountain bike, complete with lock and helmet. Students, you will be tested on this. (Psst, this is the test! Don't fail it.)

sources: Associated Press, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Ripon College

ADVERTISING POLICY

Comments: (6 comments)

You are not logged in. Thus, you cannot post a comment. If you have a Gristmill account, log in below. If you don't have a Gristmill account, well, by all means go make one! Meet you back here in five.

Carfree Campuses

I was looking through this brochure that was part of my Princeton Alumni Weekly magazine and it was about redesigns of the campus. It immediately struck me that it looks like they're trying to build a carfree city almost in New Jersey.

Of course, the Princeton campus, like many great campuses, are really model cities when it comes to promoting walking and bikes above cars. Many campuses only offer two lane winding paths for cars that make it difficult if not impossible to use them. Many campus personal opt for the golf cart approach.

The downside of this is that campuses are investment rich places. It takes endowment, capital and so on to marshall all the resources that make that kind of centralized living possible.

The engineering side of me wonders about the tradeoffs...not just the benefits.

by jabailo at 12:11 PM on 14 Feb 2008

Carrots Are Great

But sticks are necessary, too. They should not expand the parking structure regardless of how many students sign up and let students who insist on destroying the Earth by driving find their own street parking or whatever.

by Wolverine at 3:12 PM on 14 Feb 2008

Ripon Students

I heard Ripon swimmers discussing this exact thing this past weekend. They were really upset. But also misinformed. I think Ripon has recieved a grant to help put this into practice. They were angry that their tuition would be going to buy bikes for first years. But here is my question. Won't everyone be really confused as to who owns which bike, lock and helmet? Won't there be A BUNCH of these things looking exactly the same?

by timhammond at 4:42 PM on 19 Feb 2008

American Immorality

Upset that their tuition would be going to bikes? How disgusting! No outrage that most of their taxes go to murder people around the world and to destroy the Earth, just that paying for bikes to dissuade some students from supporting oil wars and causing environmental and ecological destruction by driving. Sheesh, makes me long for the good ol' days of the Vietnam war. At least those students had some sense of morality and priorities.

by Wolverine at 11:21 AM on 20 Feb 2008

Wolverine

get a grip - most students don't pay taxes - they are not making enough money too owe taxes.

My guess is that there would be fewer objections to this plan if it were open to all students, not just first years. After all, why deny a junior a free bike (if he/she chooses not to drive to campus) just because the plan is starting this year? Seems odd.

by kmp at 11:38 AM on 20 Feb 2008

The principal of the thing...

As a Ripon College Student myself, I am happy to see Ripon progessing in a green direction. What students (including myself) might be concerned about, however, is the lack of communication from the higher-ups that this is taking place. Overnight, we heard this was happening--as one who pays tuiton, I think we should have some say about the "velorution" or whatever. It frankly pisses me off and its the principal of the thing, we are the share-holders of the institution and they're making big decisions without our saying so. Again, while I think I'm mostly for this bike thing, here's a few other considerations:

Lack of infrastructure for 200 more bikes--narrow trails, too few bike racks, etc.
Get a free bike the first year, bring a car the next--best of both worlds. What's to stop someone?
Why can't a non-driving sophomore get a bike?
If I were mobility impaired, could I get the cash value of the bike, b/c there's a good chance I'm not driving!
Why not just credit the student $400? A choice between the two? Let them choose a bike, snowshoes, or spend it on text books and walk on campus?

I guess I feel disenfranchised mostly; yet another policy change without any student input. Students should be consulted or have a means to weigh-in.

by kidintheclouds at 7:50 PM on 21 Feb 2008

The comments of Grist users reflect the opinions of those individuals only, and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of Grist, its staff, its board members, their psychotherapists, or their aestheticians. Got it?