As part of UNCW’s Synergy Common Reading experience this fall, students are asked to write “Teal Letters” to Chancellor Miller about everything from personal experiences to campus complaints.

            Similar to President Obama’s daily initiative to read and respond to ten letters every day-as demonstrated in Eli Saslow’s “Ten Letters: The Stories Americans Tell Their President”-Chancellor Miller will respond to ten student letters following the Oct. 5th deadline. 

            Below, you will find an excerpt from freshman Morgan Jones’ letter.  In her message to Chancellor Miller, Jones speaks of her love of becoming a Seahawk, as well as the campus atmosphere. However, the bulk of her letter addressed something all UNCW students are confronted with daily: the dangers of Chancellor’s Walk.

 

Jones writes:

            I have a few suggestions on how to make the transportation process on campus more efficient and safer.

            This campus has a perfect layout for transportation via bicycle/skateboard or by foot. Though most of the campus has separate bicycle lanes and sidewalks, some parts are left with no distinction, leaving bicyclists/skateboarders weaving in between people walking and risking colliding with another person. The area that is the worst is Chancellor’s Walk. On a daily basis I see at least one collision or come close to one myself.

            My solution for this problem would be creating separate lanes, one for walkers and another for bicyclists and skateboards, going opposite directions on both sides which would allow the traffic of students getting to class to be safer and more efficient for everyone. Though bicyclists like myself are trying to weave in and out of people on foot, the flow of traffic is multidirectional so several times I have come around someone walking and another bicyclist doing the same thing hits me because the person walking causes a blind spot. So if these lanes were created it would also keep the flow of traffic one-directional but also convenient for everyone.           

            Thank you for considering my proposal and reading my letter. I love being a Seahawk and I cannot wait to spend the next four years here at UNCW.

                                                                                                                        Sincerely,

                                                                                                                        Morgan Jones

 

            If you would like to send a “Teal Letter” to Chancellor Miller, letters can be submitted to the UNCW Student Government Association in Fisher Student Center, room 2029, or may be submitted electronically to [email protected]. Letters must be received on or before Friday, Oct. 5.