According to Student Government Association (SGA) President senior Ram Parimi, a student suggested having covered cruiser stops. While campaigning for Senate elections, Parimi and SGA Vice President senior Casey McCormack went door-to-door todemonstrate to the student body how accessible they could be to the Colgate community. During the campaign, the two leaders encountered a student who suggested that Colgate Cruiser stops should be covered to make the wait more convenient for riders. “It’s really cold during the winter and the Cruiser is not always on time,” sophomore Laurie Pritchard said. Current Cruiser stops provide little to no protection from the harsh elements and include benches that rarely seat all of the late-night passengers waiting to board the Cruiser. It is often considered easier to walk or drive back to one’s residency then to wait for the Cruiser in the cold. Parimi believes that if Cruisers are filled to capacity or there is a long wait for the Cruiser, students will be more willing to wait inside a covered Cruiser stop then to drive home under the influence of alcohol. “The point of the Cruiser, in my opinion, is to deter students from drunk driving,” Parimi said. Parimi also mentioned that increasing the convenience and comfort of Cruiser stops would decrease traffic in town because more students would feel inclined to take the Cruiser instead of driving. The proposal process for covered – and possibly heated– Cruiser stops is currently underway. In collaboration with University Architect John Ryan, Parimi is writing a proposal for the building of four covered Cruiser stops throughout the campus, town and the apartments. “The first proposed Cruiser stop would be downtown,” Parimi said. “This would be a structure that comes out of the bookstore and wraps around the corner. The second proposition would be creating a huge covered Cruiser stop, which would be a physical structure with benches that is built into the ground, at Parker Apartments and the Commons. The third proposed Cruiser stop would be located at Frank Dining Hall.” The proposal includes building a large Cruiser stop with a power source supplied by the power from Frank Dining Hall. The final covered Cruiser stop would be located at the new dorms. Parimi has been working with Ryan to develop a proposal. “Ryan has been the number one proponent of this structure,” Parimi said. Although plans have not been finalized, Ryan has created several designs for the Cruiser stops. “The design of Cruiser stops will fit into the environment that it is built in,” Parimi ensured. Parimi has also been working with the State of New York Department of Transportation, Mayor Getchonis, President Chopp and the Executive Board to find funding and gain background knowledge about locations and designs of covered Cruiser stops. Each covered cruiser stop will cost approximately $10,000 to $15,000 to build. Although the price sounds costly, students feel that the covered Cruiser stops are a necessity. “Anything to make life at Colgate more convenient is worth the money,” sophomore Tyler Edwards said. Parimi and the associated parties are working hard to get the first of several covered Cruiser stops by the beginning of 2005. “It’s going to be my goal for the year,” Parimi said. “By the time February comes, I want to see at least one proposed Cruiser stop built.” The proposal is nearly completed and will be submitted to the Campus Planning and Physical Resources Committee on Monday.