[*BCM*] BU Removing Bicycles

[Shane Jordan]

MassBike has also been alerted to this and is contacting the relevant
parties to see if they can help facilitate a good outcome to all this. 

 

Shane

(may or may not work for massbike)

 

 

 

From: bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org
[mailto:bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org] On Behalf Of Eric
A. Stratton
Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 2:48 PM
To: Boston Critical Mass
Subject: [*BCM*] BU Removing Bicycles

 

This is from some information that was posted on BostonFixed.

 

Good afternoon:

Beginning on Monday, May 5, 2008, bicycles attached to anything other than
an appropriate bike rack will be removed by the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. This includes trees, parking meters and benches. This action
is being taken to prevent the destruction of the new plantings and items
installed during the Commonwealth Avenue Beautification Project. Questions
and concerns about this new policy can be forwarded to the Office of the
Dean of Students at 617-353-4126 or dos at bu.edu.

Again, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Best regards,

Katherine Hasenauer

 

This is really outrageous.  I emailed the BU Dean of Students office about
this, as I'm a graduate student there and never received any notice of this
removal.  Here is their reply.

 

Eric,

 

Thank you for your email. The signs and messages you received from the
university regarding bike removal were notifications we received from the
City of Boston. The university was merely conveying a message sent to us
from city officials, and we apologize for the confusion. Unfortunately, the
university has no sway over city policy, including bicycle removal from city
property. As for additional bike storage, working to provide more bike racks
is part of our plans along Commonwealth Avenue.

 

Thank you for your email, and if you have any additional questions, please
call our office at 617-353-4126.

 

Sincerely,

 

Ally

Student Manager

Office of the Dean of Students

 

As it was stated by one of my fellow bostonfixed members,  it's pretty
disingenuous to suggest that BU has no influence over minor city enforcement
on the Comm. Ave. project, in which BU has a more than significant interest.
My impression of the Dean of Students office was that they were there to
assist the students and help advocate points in which the students have a
significant interest.  There must be someone at BU who can negotiate on
behalf of the student body if the Dean of Students office isn't up to it.