Skateboarding on campus banned

Skateboarding was commonplace on the University of Cincinnati's campus. Some students skateboarded to class while others did tricks on school property.

Now all skateboarding has been banned on campus said officer Doug Barge, of the University of Cincinnati Crime Prevention.

New signs have been posted in strategic places around campus announcing the ban on skateboarding.

Eugene Ferrara, director of Public Safety, said at first "[Skateboarding] is not banned on all of UC's campus. As transportation it's fine. No tricks."

Now however, all skateboarding has been banned because of issues with liability and the destruction of school property, including skating as transportation.

The signs have been posted in areas where skateboarders do tricks.

What happens if students fall while grinding and injures themselves? They could sue UC for loads of money. What if a non-student does the same? This is a public university so non-students can access the campus at all times, after all.

"The safety issue is two-fold," Ferrara said. "The ban is because of reports of skateboarders zipping by pedestrians, almost knocking them over. The second part is because of the potential with liability."

Ferrara said the property that is being damaged by skateboarders was not intended to be used for that purpose. He also said it took a lot of money, time and effort to get the campus looking good.

There are huge black lines where students grind on the low set walls, which make the campus look ugly.

Because there was no way previously to enforce the ban, Barge and others are putting up two inch by two-inch metal brackets on the walls where they do tricks. "It will make them wipe out," Barge said.

He also said that more juveniles come on campus and skate than our students. This ties into the liability issue. If non-students are coming on campus skating won't the metal brackets that "will make them wipe out" be a self-fulfilling prophecy? UC wants the ban to prevent skating because they don't want people hurting themselves and for the look of the campus overall.

This campus was not built to be used as a skatepark. In theory, the ban is a good idea to prevent students from injuring themselves and others. This ban will let the students know the university cannot be held responsible if they get hurt. However, people can sue for whatever reason they want to.

I do see the black marks on the walls and it does make this campus look trashy. We all pay a gross amount of money to come here and when I walk to class and see those ugly black marks it makes me angry at the people who deface the property.

Since the ban has ultimately been in effect but never really enforced, if students want to keep skating they can because there is really no way to enforce the ban. The most the police will do is give them a "verbal reminder," Barge said.

If UC really wants to keep people from skating on campus they need to do more than put up a few signs and verbal reminders. The metal brackets, while a good idea, are not necessarily the best preventative measure, if they make people wipe out, potentially injuring themselves and then suing the university.