Student Association’s initiative to install heat lamps on campus bus stops has the potential to improve student life during winter. But in order for the heat lamps to be practical, the university must find answers and solutions for three overarching concerns during its pilot program of heat lamps next semester.

The university should keep in mind the issues of being environmentally friendly, the overall cost and potential safety concerns.

During the trial period, this university needs to figure out when the heat lamps will turned on and off, how they should be activated and at what temperature they will be used.

SU should also figure out how the lamps can be set up so they are not left on if there are no students waiting at the bus stop, as that would not be energy or cost-efficient. If possible, lamps should be activated by students with a switch or by motion sensors.

Another issue is the cost and practicality of installing heat lamps at bus stops. If the pilot program proves successful, heat lamps will be expanded to more than the two trial bus stops. But with this expansion will come the question of if all bus stops on South Campus will be renovated for heat lamps, or just main stops such as Goldstein, Skytop or Manley.

The cost and effort of installing heat lamps on every single bus stop might prove to be too much.

Student safety could also be a concern. The heat lamps have the potential to attract people who are not affiliated with the university seeking warmth and shelter. If non-students trespass in campus bus stops, students could feel uncomfortable or unsafe while waiting for buses.

The university should be aware of this problem when considering installing the lamps.

It’s good that SA is looking into helping students during the winter. But if it wants the initiative to be both practical and successful, it should consider all of the suggestions listed above during the heat lamp trial period.

Published on October 22, 2014 at 12:01 am

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