Hoping that no student is left out in the rain, Student Council's Student Life Committee is planning to kick off a trial period for an umbrella sharing program this semester.
"This program is targeted for those students on rainy days when they're in class all day, and they come out and it's rainy, and they don't have an umbrella to take to the next class or home," Committee Co-Chair Mary McGuirk said. "We're going to be having these umbrellas outside of buildings around Grounds, libraries and dorms."
The Committee will begin with a trial period during the upcoming weeks that will last about two months and allow for time to evaluate any problems that may arise. If the trial period is successful, McGuirk said the Committee will look into getting sponsors to help fund the umbrellas.
"We're going to start with 100 umbrellas at four locations: Newcomb, Alderman Library, New Cabell and the Old Dorms bus stop," McGuirk said. "They're going to be in highly populated areas so students can go around, pick up an umbrella, take it to their next class and then dispense it in one of the bins."
There will be maps on the bins to pinpoint return stations for the umbrellas, she said, but students must sign out and return the umbrellas on their honor.
"We're hoping not to resort to a swipe box," she added. "They'll sign their name and include their student [computing] ID so we know who has the umbrellas."
Council Vice President of Administration Jen Bristol, however, inquired about the procedure for redistributing umbrellas after a rainy day. Furthermore, Bristol noted providing large umbrellas for use would be more difficult for people to steal or accidently store in their dorms. College Rep. Joe Riley, on the other hand, said the program should worry more about the integrity of Charlottesville community members than that of University students.
"We're using the trial period to monitor the traffic flow to see where they're being utilized," Committee Co-Chair Courtney Lester said. "If it is successful, we hope to put them outside of major dorm areas and at bus stops so they can be dropped off easily."
One Council member suggested the Committee number the umbrellas to make them easier to track but had concerns about implementing the honor system.
"What's going to stop students from taking them to their dorm and returning it another day?" she said. "I don't necessarily think people are going to return them exactly the same day, which may not be an issue."
There may be less expensive, as well as more practical, alternatives to umbrellas, though.
"Ponchos. No one wants to steal a poncho," Architecture Rep. Carlin Tacey suggested. "They're really great in terms of rain protection and you can put them over your backpack."
Engineering Rep. Seth Kaye also expressed wariness toward the umbrella sharing program.
"I don't want to be the rain cloud on this program," Kaye said. "I just fear that it's going to look poorly upon our student body when all the umbrellas disappear in two weeks."
Whatever the case, McGuirk said the Committee will need all hands on board once the program launches.
"We're sill working out the logistics," McGuirk said. "It'll be a good idea to go out after every rainy day and make sure the umbrellas are evenly distributed around Grounds. It'll be pretty easy with 100, but as we grow and distribute to more locations, we're gong to have to get more people on the Committee to help"
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