Most changes on campus are pretty obvious, but some are more subtle. Some changes begin chain reactions for other changes. For instance students may have noticed the new planters that decorate the outskirts of the College Center; skateboarders in particular may have noticed even more so than others. After looking at the planters, many skaters began to see the potential they had as a street course.

The skaters weren’t the only ones who saw this potential, President Foster also took notice. President Foster isn’t about to bring his board on campus and try to do a 5-O grind along the edge of one of the planters, but he recognized other people might want to give it a shot.

“Do you battle against it or do you just embrace it?” Foster said.

In light of the new administrative lift of the ban on skating and other alternative transportation methods (bikes, scooters, long boards etc.) on campus Foster and the rest of the administration have decided to embrace skating on campus.

“It’s easy to put that metal edge on it (the planters) so they can enjoy what they do and not tear the planters apart,” Foster said.

Even though the administration has given the OK for students to use their boards on campus students should not get overly excited. Don’t expect the construction crews to begin working on building a half pipe in the Academic Quad or anything of that nature.

“I don’t think we want to become a skate park,” Foster said, but he doesn’t mind  a little extra effort to appease skaters.

Also in light of the lift on the skating ban, students should remember that they still must share the campus sidewalks with those who prefer to travel by foot.

“It’s one of those things, it works as long as people are considerate and thoughtful of what they do,” Foster said.

As for future plans for skater friendly modifications to the campus, who knows?

“We’ll see if there’s a spot that works with it,” Foster said.

President Foster hosts office hours every Monday afternoon for students to come talk to him, and he also responds to e-mail. If skaters see a spot  on campus with potential, let President Foster know. His response might surprise you.