By Brian Ruth
The Scene staff
Forest Park students 24 and older can no longer buy semester bus and train passes at a student discount because the college is again enforcing Metro’s maximum-age rule.
More than 60 percent of Forest Park students fit into this age group. The change could cost them $430 more a year.
In the past, the college has allowed all students to buy semester passes at the discount. But Metro is requiring that to stop.
“We’re simply a vendor for Metro,” said Donivan Foster, acting Campus Life manager. “The only thing Metro has said to us is that we do have to follow the guideline.”
Student Government Association President Angela Johnson opposes the Metro rule, but she said SGA needs students to come forward and complain about how the change will affect them.
“None of the students have actually submitted any documentation at all,” she said.
The semester pass allows student access to Metro buses and trains for $175 per semester ($350 for fall and spring). A full-fare rider who buys two one-way tickets a day with transfers would pay about $1,200 for the same period.
Metro’s regular monthly passes cost $78, totaling $780 over 10 months.
The maximum-age rule was last enforced in 2008, according to Christy Hart, Forest Park auxiliary services manager. It was met with such a large outcry from students that Metro decided not to enforce it.
“Hundreds of students called Metro,” Hart said. “(Metro) finally called me and said, ‘You can sell them (to all students).’”
Students 24 and older were allowed to buy the $175 semester pass at STLCC bookstores until this fall.
Metro Director of Communications Patti Beck said the agency already uses taxpayer dollars to subsidize transit costs for regular-fare riders by 75 percent, and spends even more for semester-pass holders.
“I do not see Metro waiving these requirements,” Hart said, particularly if there is no student-driven initiative.
Metro began enforcing the maximum-age rule in July, when it also increased bus and train fares and introduced new smart cards to replace cash payments for tickets.
At that time, STLCC Vice Chancellor of Finance Administration Kent Kay and other college officials met with Metro.
“Our initial conversation with Metro was to see what we could do about a waiver of the age restrictions,” Kay said. “We did ask them to reconsider it and did recommend modifying the current restriction closer to federal guidelines.”
Kay was referring to Obamacare, which allows parents to keep children on their health-insurance plans until age 26.
Metro provided an option for STLCC to participate in another program, called University Pass (U-Pass), which would require the college to help subsidize semester passes.
“We met with St. Louis Community College about this program earlier this summer and will continue to talk with other universities, including STLCC, about signing up,” Beck said.
Southwestern Illinois College, University of Missouri-St. Louis, Washington University and Webster University all offer customized versions of the U-Pass. STLCC is not participating.
Kay said participation would cost each of the college’s 21,000 students $7 per credit hour, even if they don’t use public transportation.
“We’re not even considering it because of the cost,” Hart said. “What causes concern is the extra money it would take per credit hour to provide the pass to students.”
Hart said STLCC participation in the U-Pass program is unrealistic, considering the college is in a cost-saving mode.
Foster said Forest Park’s SGA and other college leaders plan to continue trying to convince Metro to change its maximum-age rule. But they’re asking for help from students.
“Students can write a simple statement, but we need to have their concerns recorded,” Foster said. “(President Roderick Nunn) is interested in having a real dialogue about it.”
Statements can be submitted to the Campus Life office, Room 101 of the Student Center. Hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fridays.