Student Veterans of UNM has decided to take action on a problem members say hasn’t been properly enforced on campus: skateboarding.
Joseph Boyd, the group’s president, said out-of-control skateboarders threaten the safety of disabled veterans and students alike.
“It’s a safety issue,” he said. “I’d like to see the problem solved before someone gets really hurt. Sometimes, with UNM, it takes something really bad happening for a change to occur, but I don’t want that to happen in this case.”
Boyd said disabled veterans are especially vulnerable.
Student Jack Hill served 15 years in the U.S. Navy, and was honorably discharged. He was deployed to Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia and Afghanistan and served three tours in Iraq. He said he sustained several injuries, but ultimately was “one of the lucky ones.” Still, Hill can’t get around campus without the help of his 165-pound service dog, Captain.
Hill said he and Captain were hit by skateboarders on campus twice last Tuesday, once on a handicap ramp.
“I have mobility issues,” he said. “If I get hit, I’m going down.”
Hill said there’s an easy solution to the problem.
“I’m not a guy who brings up problems unless there’s a solution,” he said. “There need to be cops patrolling in the mall, by the duck pond, patrolling on foot, where they can see what’s happening.”
Boyd said a meeting with the UNMPD and the Dean of Students Office is scheduled for Wednesday to discuss the issue.
“There are policies about skateboarding, but lack of enforcement is the problem,” Boyd said.
UNMPD spokesman Lt. Robert Haarhues said it’s difficult to catch law-breaking skateboarders.
“We get a lot of calls about it, but by the time we get there they’re gone,” he said.
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Haarhues said skateboarders that UNMPD does catch get referred to the Dean of Students office if they are UNM students. If they are not students, they are asked to leave campus for the day.
Robert Burford, student conduct officer in the Dean of Students office said he only receives a few complaints each year regarding skateboarders. He said the skateboarder’s name is required to file a complaint.
Hill said he couldn’t have gotten the name of the skateboarder who hit him.
“The guy hit Captain and just said, ‘Sorry dude’ and kept on rocking,” he said.
Burford said his office evaluates every complaint.
“When we get a report of a violation of a policy here in our office, it is evaluated to see if there has actually been a policy violation,” he said. “If there has been or seems there has been, then a e-mail or letter goes out to the student informing them that we need to get their side of story, so we can make an informed decision as to whether an actual policy violation has occurred.”
Burford said if a violation has occurred, punishment could range from a warning to suspension. He said those who want to skateboard on campus should review UNM’s skateboard policies.
“If all skateboarders would adhere to keeping all four wheels on the ground and bicyclists would adhere to keeping both their wheels on the ground, then the UNM Campus would have far fewer incidents of issues with pedestrians and damages to property here at UNM,” he said.
The Daily Lobo ran a story about skaterboarders, “Skaters grind on public’s patience” Sept. 12, which elicited responses from local neighborhood members saying the issue extends to neighborhoods surrounding UNM as well.
A Daily Lobo poll on skateboarding on campus garnered 116 responses, 54 percent of which agreed that “(Skateboarders) need to be more careful. I’ve almost been hit once or more.”
Hill said he shares the sentiment.
“It’s definitely grinding on my patience,” Hill said.
