Announced today, Wyoming Catholic College is planning to ban current students from operating personal vehicles from next semester on for similar reasons to those for which it already bans cell-phones. In a statement today, WCC acting academic dean Professor Cleanit said, “Cars and trucks are not in themselves bad, but can be distracting from our primary focus here As with our school’s already existing technology policy banning cell-phones, students not having cars will contribute to a better and more philosophically deep environment for focus on the curriculum.”
This does not mean a total ban on all vehicle use on campus as select student drivers will still drive the school’s vehicles for baking and kitchen duties, shuttles for Mass and outdoor trips, but “no other personal use unless by specific demonstrated need will be allowed by any student” the school’s new rule reports. Students who currently have cars are encouraged to leave them at home during the Christmas break, as unlike cell-phones, there is no room in the student life office to store them during the school year.
Why this rule has not already been in place is something Professor Cleanit wants looked into as some students are, perhaps surprisingly, happy about the decision. “Walking is a necessary part of the student experience,”says one junior, who asked to remain anonymous, “as it offers prime time for philosophical dialogue, growth in chivalry, and opportunities to abstain from jaywalking.”
Many are unhappy with the decision, questioning the merits of banning “options” for transportation, especially given the extreme Wyoming winters. “How do they expect us to get down on days when it’s ten degrees below zero?” asks Marcus Gardner, a junior from Virginia. To this Professor Cleanit says the school will “look into offering shuttles at other times” but says part of the point of this decision is “to encourage more walking” so they “wouldn’t want to do that too much as it would negate part of the point of this change.”
Furthermore, the school reportedly through this decision wants to equalize class mobility, as “it’s a friction point within the community to have one class have more cars than another” as an internal WCC source reported to IIT News.
No clarification has yet been given by the school on the question of whether motorcycles will also be banned under the new policy even as several sophomores are reportedly planning to start a motorcycle gang next semester.