Student Assembly

Whereas, according to recent statistics, 2.1 million college students drive under the influence of alcohol each year, and 1,700 students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-induced injuries, including drunk driving accidents;

Whereas, 31 percent of Cornell students consume an average of five drinks per night and an increasing number of Cornell students own and operate cars on campus;

Whereas, the Cornell campus is geographically expansive, and Ithaca’s climate generally cold, discouraging walking late at night; Whereas, the intended purpose of the current Blue Light escort service and Blue Light Program do not overlap with the goals of this program;

Whereas, the intended purpose of the current Blue Light escort service and Blue Light Program do not overlap with the goals of this program ;

Whereas, a significant number of peer institutions, including Yale University and Princeton University, among many others, already maintain functioning campus safe ride programs;

Be it therefore resolved, that the Residential Student Congress, in coordination with the Student Assembly Committee on Residential and Community Life, calls for the establishment of a free, door-to-door safe ride shuttle service beginning in the fall semester of 2009, with the following stipulations:

1. The service shall initially consist of two vans, operated by paid and trained student drivers, and organized through a central dispatcher, between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
2. The service shall be initially organized and overseen by a committee consisting of three students and three administrators, to be selected by the signatory organizations.
3. The service shall be advertised extensively to ensure maximum utility.
4. The Residential Student Congress shall donate inasmuch as they deem it appropriate and its resources will allow based on the benefit it will give to the residential community; startup costs for the service shall be provided by the signatory bodies and other organizations that shall support this Resolution, with the understanding that control of and funding for the expansion of service will eventually be incorporated into a Student Assembly by-line funded organization.
5. The Medical Amnesty protocol shall apply for any Cornell student who seeks to utilize this service. The service shall additionally not be connected with any law enforcement bodies.

Respectfully submitted,

Sanjiv Tata ‘09
Ali Austerlitz ‘11
Ryan Lavin ‘09, SA Executive Vice President