The students in Prof. Pamela Brannon’s Issues in American Politics class are discussing their chapter on health and welfare today. Every week these students discuss the “big issues,” such as Social Security and foreign policy. Heated debates on racial profiling and separation of church and state are a regular occurrence here; everyone has an opinion and wants to be heard. Most students have something to say about the national issues or presidential elections. Yet most students can’t even name the local mayor and city counsel members. Why? Because “local politics don’t affect us,” or “who cares about what city officials do,” most students say. “I’m more interested in foreign and international issues,” says Beata Korkiuk, a senior History major in Brannon’s class. “I don’t even know what is going on locally, which is probably a mistake. You see these campaign signs everywhere but you have no idea who these people are.” Korkiuk feels that although some students may care, “we just don’t have the time to keep up with what’s going on locally.” Others, she says, don’t feel affected by local policies so they see no need to get involved.
But local politics do affect FAU and its students as issues like traffic and construction climb to the forefront of the local agenda. Although FAU is a state agency, Boca politics influence what goes on around campus, shaping FAU’s environment. Students will get the opportunity to make their priorities count when the city of Boca holds elections for mayor and two city counsel seats on March 8. In the mayoral race, two-term incumbent Steven Abrams faces local Pastor Mark Boykin. These candidates’ sharply contrasting viewpoints on city and FAU issues have made for a heated race.
A central issue at FAU now is congestion, something FAU students, over 90% of whom are commuters, face everyday. Students not only have to deal with gridlock on I-95 and Glades Road, but also on campus. Long lines of cars choke up FAU’s streets each morning and afternoon with added traffic from the Henderson school located on the east side of the campus. Solutions such as widening Glades or adding a new exit from I-95 that goes directly to the school have been proposed. Boykin says at this point there is no other choice but to add the exit. “We are in a state of urgency and City Hall doesn’t seem to see it,” he says. “They keep building but do not address the traffic and congestion it’s creating.” However, Abrams says that making a direct exit off of I-95 to FAU is now one of the city’s top priorities. It is a regional project that will require cooperation with a number of groups, and Abrams proudly cites that the city has gained support from most of them. As for this project’s timetable, Abrams says that it is, “as soon as we can get it done. Planning work is already being undertaken.”
Another traffic solution may come from the Department of Transportation, which has been looking into adding a combination of full or partial exits from the Turnpike, including ones to Palmetto and Yamato, a move that would ease the traffic on other major roads and be helpful for Broward commuting students. Funding for these proposals, which would come from both the city and the state, is the main obstacle. “These projects are in the early stages,” Abrams says. “I would want city traffic engineers to look at the proposal before any action is taken.”
Although FAU officials seek to alleviate traffic around campus, they have proposed two major building projects, a new stadium and a teaching hospital. Proponents of these projects talk of school improvement; the football team would have a place to play right on campus and FAU medical students wouldn’t have to go to the University of Miami for med school and internships. Opponents, however, cite that these new projects would increase the already high commuter traffic and add to FAU’s congestion problem. Abrams says he is “very excited about the new hospital.” He believes having a state-of-the-art hospital with a training program will ensure the Boca Hospital’s success. As for the stadium, Abrams says he has been working with President Brogan, but the project doesn’t really involve the city. “The main thing is that FAU needs to raise the funds,” he says. Boykin also endorses both projects, although one of his main campaign thrusts is controlling development. Boykin says that, “anything that is going to integrate the school and make it more mainstream is important.” He believes that they will help FAU become a major school. As for the congestion they may cause, Boykin says the stadium would not add to weekday traffic since it would be used mostly on the weekends.
In addition to congestion caused by these projects, there is also the question of preserving the T Buildings. They are some of the last remnants of FAU’s past as a former WW II airbase. The previous FAU president ordered that the T Buildings, which are located by the police station, be knocked down to make room for more growth. President Brogan and groups like Boca Raton Army Airfield Force (BRAAF) are fighting to preserve these “historical monuments.” However preserving and restoring the T Buildings would cost extra money. Mayor Abrams supports the preservation efforts and says that the city will cooperate however they can. “We have some say on this issue. I think that the best way to preserve these buildings is to find someone who wants to use them.” He says that a charter school was interested in using the buildings but suspended their plans after some opposition from the Henderson school on campus. Boykin, on the other hand, believes only buildings with “historic significance,” like where an important bill was signed for example, should be saved; otherwise they should be leveled to make room. “These buildings shouldn’t be saved just because they are old. They occupy too much valuable space for that.”
Not only a statewide issue, but also a big FAU issue is Scripps Florida, whose temporary home is at FAU’s Jupiter campus. The California-based biotech company had planned for its Florida branch to be moved into its new home by Nov. 2006, but the process has been stalled by lawsuits from environmental groups over the purposed building site. Even though temporary buildings are being built on the Jupiter campus to house them, space is limited and the longer Scripps goes without a home, the longer the school is spending money and resources to accommodate them. Last month President Brogan began efforts to help break the deadlock and get Scripps into its permanent home but progress has been slow. Boykin believes that the core of this issue is listening to the community and the students. “People need to be heard because it affects their quality of life,” he says. “We are building without consent from the community and that’s got to stop.” Abrams, who was a chairman on FAU’s “transition team,” which supervised Scripps’ move from the Boca to the Jupiter Campus, took a different stance. He says that Scripps has been and will continue to be a benefit for FAU. “Boca will get financial benefits without the traffic costs,” he says. Abrams also added that because of Scripps, FAU has its new Biomedical Science Building.
Campus fraternities and sororities are also looking to get a piece of FAU’s building action. They are campaigning for campus housing or “frat rows,” for their groups. With limited space and lots of groups vying for it, a project like this could meet some steep opposition. Boykin believes that building “frat rows” would “help transform FAU into a college of influence.” However, he added that their just isn’t enough room to accommodate whole rows of buildings. “A project like this can be done if it is done the right way,” he says. Abrams took a similar stance saying, “I would have to see what the plan was before I made a decision about it.” He takes pride in the relationship he has cultivated between the city and FAU. “I like to think I know what is going on at FAU and what the students need’s are,” he says. He also adds that the city has a number of programs that benefit FAU students including a new emergency notification system called CodeRED.
These candidates don’t see eye to eye on most issues but they do agree that students need to get involved. Mayor Abrams hopes that the student body will continue the interest that they had for the presidential election this year into local politics. He says that student groups like the College Republicans have been a big help and encourages everyone to get involved since this a nonpartisan election. “This local election is so important because it will affect the FAU students.” Boykin also encourages students to participate. “We listen to what students have to say,” he says. “Students have the most influential voice if they would just exercise their right.”
FAU Communications student Carl Schachter really sums things up. “I hear students complaining about everything from tuition costs to traffic, but when I ask what they are doing to get involved and change it they shrug. If students don’t get involved or vote why should local government care about what we have to say?”
