I think the course format lends itself more to CPASS than Police, and it sounds like we're not yet sure if WVU Police is even interested. I can query them if you like.
The J&K lot adjacent to the WVU Police building is large and not being utilized as of right now, so that location may be better even if this does end up being a CPASS course.
Traci
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 30, 2016, at 3:09 PM, Frank Gmeindl <fgmeindl@gmail.commailto:fgmeindl@gmail.com> wrote:
Which do you think would have more impact on cycling in Morgantown, the Confident City Cycling course taught through the WVU College of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences or through the WVU Campus Police Department?
A decision will have to be made no later than next Tuesday when City Council might approve an MOU between the City and CPASS. See the MOU near the end of http://www.morgantownwv.gov/wp-content/uploads/2.2.16-Regular-Mtg._Part5.pdf.
If Council approves the MOU and we decide that teaching the class through the WVU Police Department is preferable, I will ask Jeff Mikorski to hold the MOU.
2008-2011, we taught 50 students through the City and 2012-2014, we taught 97 students through CPASS. Practically all of the early students were not WVU students but locals. Practically all of the later students were WVU juniors or seniors. IMO, 90% of them took the course for the 1 credit and an easy A and when they graduated they left. I will also say though that maybe 10% or more of the students are probably cycling more and cycling safer.
When Confident City Cycling was offered through the City, getting students was extremely difficult. The reason we moved the course from the City to WVU is standing. The City has no standing to be teaching courses while WVU does. But another very important reason that we moved the course to CPASS was that Hugh Kierig, former director of WVU Transportation and Parking set it up for us and paid for it. CPASS got 1 credit's worth of tuition from each student taught but T&P paid the instructors and for materials so CPASS' only cost was use of the facility and some admin. That dried up when Hugh left. Now, the City has $4,200 of Allstate money but until the MOU is approved, there is no vehicle for the money to flow from the City through WVU to the instructors.
CPASS has standing to teach sports classes and cycling is a sport but it is also a mode of utility transportation. To me, the core of the course is traffic law, operating a bicycle as a vehicle, lane positioning and crash avoidance; not exactly sport.
A tremendous advantage of teaching the course through CPASS when they were located in the Coliseum was a classroom in the Coliseum and the wonderful band practice lot right outside. Now, CPASS has moved down Patteson Drive and it's dangerous and a waste of time to get untrained cyclists from there to the band practice lot. (FYI, most of the 2008-2011 courses were taught in the Prete Bldg on University Av. across from Tudors Biscuits and Hibachi where the University Police were located before the university built them their own building near the corner of Elmer Prince Dr. and Van Voorhis (705). The Prete Bldg. has a good level parking lot. Below the new police building, there's a parking lot that might be useable but I think it's part of the Faculty Apartments which I think are slated to be replaced.)
I don't know if the WVU police would be amenable to having us teach Confident City Cycling in their new building and I don't know if we can use the parking lot below. I initiated a call to Captain Camden a couple weeks ago and am still waiting for his response. When we were teaching at the Prete Bldg., we used their facility but that was all. Now, if we teach it at the new police building, I'd like to present it as a course taught through the WVU police and maybe even get some WVU police to become SavvyCycling instructors or LAB LCIs and do some teaching. I don't know what arrangements and requirements would evolve if we tried to teach Confident City Cycling through the WVU police but I think if Jeff signs the MOU with CPASS, he won't want to talk about it anymore.
Please advise!
BTW, Confident City Cycling students learn * Bicycle Form, Fit and Function: the parts of a bicycle; bike selection; sizing; adjusting your bicycle fit and the pre-ride safety check. * Basic Maintenance: tools for the road; tire repair; adjusting brakes and adjusting derailleurs. * Clothing and Equipment: helmets, clothing, accessories and required equipment for riding in all weather and commuting to work or school. * Basic Handling Skills: gears & gear selection; starting/stopping; steering in a straight line and scanning & signaling. * Bicycling in Traffic: principles of traffic law; lane positioning and scanning, signaling and negotiating; riding in all traffic situations day or night and in all kinds of weather. * Avoiding Crashes: why crashes happen; crash prevention and crash avoidance maneuvers. * Efficiency, Power, Endurance: cadence and smooth shifting; nutrition & hydration and training routines. * Riding with Groups and on the Trail: group etiquette and trail etiquette.
Frank