As more universities continue to implement policies that create "No Wheel" campuses, more students are continuing to feel the negative impacts of these new restrictions.  Thousands of students face the struggle of finding adequate transportation to and from class every day whether it be because of limited parking on campus, a long walking distance to classes, or the inability to afford better transportation.  Skateboarding offers college students more affordable transportation, increased productivity, and an active lifestyle which are all threatened by "No Wheel" policies.

     "No Wheel" policies aim to make universities less chaotic and keep students safe by criminalizing skateboarding to keep them off of boards entirely.  Some universities have taken malicious advantage of the lack of parking on their campus, selling over-priced parking passes and permits for upwards of "$600" at the University of Utah.  "The number of parking citations at universities is also skyrocketing; for example, the University Of Buffalo issued 17,750 citations in 2016 and the University Of Central Florida issued over 43,000 tickets in 2016" according to Mandatory College News.

     So with universities making it so much harder to commute via a motor vehicle, you would think that they're making it easier for students to use alternative forms of transportation, but NO.  Campus police officers used to give warnings and not cite a skateboarder right away, but it seems like that’s a thing of the past.  Students who have recently received a ticket for riding their skateboard on campus have reported never receiving a warning and being ticketed right on the spot. In fact, after Mandatory College News spoke with 15 students who received tickets, nine claimed they hadn’t known skateboarding was illegal on campus. They also never received a warning.  And the amount that these fines cost fluctuates.  Universities have complete oversight and dictation over how much the cost of a fine is because they were the ones who put the original policy into place.

     When students can make it to their classes, on time, and ready to learn because their skateboard helped them get there on time, it shouldn't come as any surprise that their productivity would inevitably increase.  If universities really care about the education of their students, they'll stop making it harder for their students to get to class without a fine.  Skateboarding offers those who participate in it a healthy release of energy and a good form of active exercise.  Many universities even offer rental electric scooters while simultaneously having policies in place to fine participants.  Skateboarders are commonly misunderstood as reckless and endangering when in actuality that couldn't be further from the truth.  If you want to be a part of changing this false narrative and decriminalizing skateboarding on college campuses, please consider signing this petition.  Thank you in advance for all of the support.