The lot of the Masons

It is with a degree of nervousness that I write this column, since, as I write to you in the University Union, my car is illegally parked about two miles away at the Scottish Rite Center past J Street. The Masonic Order, who run the building, have been gracious enough to let me park there in spite of the “violators will be towed” sign. Still, the title “Scottish Rite Center” evokes the image of my car being towed to the somber sound of bagpipes. Atleast two dozen Sacramento State students have taken to parking at the Center, since finding a parking spot on campus has been nearly impossible in the young semester. University officials, in their infinite wisdom, are doing their best to solve the problem in the short term. Parking and Transportation has been engaging in what Supervising Parking Officer Suzanne Bracamonte called “creative parking.”

“If we fill up our lots, we create other areas to park that day,” Bracamonte said. Efforts include the creation of new spots in existing lots and near the Baseball Field. A parking garage is also scheduled for completion in the fall, with two more in the coming years. President Donald Gerth also mentioned the possibility of off campus parking should these disasters continue.

The parking crunch is nothing new, only disconcerting. The University should work toward maintaining the Sac State tradition as an accessible commuter school. Two simultaneous construction projects and the ill placed alumni center in the middle of Student Lot Eight indicate that they?re off to a bad start. Right now the two-mile trek to J street is a bit daunting so I?ll continue on?

Thank the masseuse

Perhaps on my way back to the car I?ll stop by the Health Center, where the University is providing free massage sessions. “We?re hoping to promote and help students to reduce stress,” said Joyce Harris, Director of the Health Center. ten-minute sessions are free for the rest of the semester. After that, the sessions are tentatively set to run about $15 per session for students without the Health Center augmented plan (which costs $20). Credit the Health Center for coming up with a genuinely novel idea.

“We see a lot of students for stress, and stress causes a lot of health conditions,” Harris said. So does most campus food, but let?s solve one problem at a time?

Dogs gone wild

While health food is not the University?s forte, allowing entrepreneur Torrace Wade to run a student owned business on campus has paid off in spades. Wade has become a fixture outside the River Front Center ever since his “Disco Dogs” hot dog stands opened last fall. Now he?s offering students a range of unique benefits, including a drawing for $100 Bookstore vouchers and fundraising for campus teams, clubs and organizations. “The big emphasis is on the fundraiser,” Wade said.

If “Dogs Gone Wild Fundraising” is as clever as its title, it should make a worthy contribution to campus groups. The fundraiser will donate 50 cents for every “group mentioned” combo sold on each group?s designated day . Wade is inviting up to 24 groups to participate. The five available book vouchers are available through a drawing.

Disco Dogs could also be carrying chicken and ribs in the future. Not exactly health food, but a fine alternative to Sac State?s numerous fast food locations. In the mean time, Wade is paving the way for on-campus entrepreneurship. His travel agency is putting together eight-day trips to Italy.

So how does Wade manage all this and work toward his government major at the same time?

“Yesterday was a 23 hour day for me,” Wade said. I?ll stick with my job as a columnist.

Want to tell Josh Leon what for? E-mail him at [email protected].