RIVER CAMPUS DISCUSSED; CITY RESIDENTS MIGHT RIDE SEMO BUSES, SAY OFFICIALS

Development of a proposed River Campus could lead to development of a public transportation system that would serve both students and the city, Southeast Missouri State University officials say.

But the university's president, Dr. Dale Nitzschke, said there isn't time to finalize transportation plans until after the Nov. 3 city election on a tax plan to help fund development of the River Campus.

Voters will be asked to increase the hotel-motel tax from 3 percent to 4 percent and extend it and the existing 1 percent restaurant tax to 2030.

The university wants to turn St. Vincent's College and Seminary into the School of Visual and Performing Arts. The riverfront campus would house the departments of art and music, the university's dance and theatre faculties and the University Museum.

Nitzschke said the university wants to explore transportation options with the city.

At an informational meeting with about 30 university employees Tuesday, Nitzschke said low-income residents in the area around the seminary property have indicated that there is a need for affordable, public transportation in the city. Nitzschke said students, elderly residents and the handicapped also could benefit from an expanded shuttle bus system.

Southeast has a shuttle system that transports students around the university campus.

University officials have said the shuttle system would be expanded to transport students between the main campus and the River Campus. Space would be provided on the shuttle buses for moving student equipment, musical instruments and art portfolios.

In addition, the system would be designed to provide transportation at night and on weekends as student demand required, school officials have said in a pamphlet listing answers to frequently asked questions about the River Campus project.

Dr. Ken Dobbins, Southeast's executive vice president, said the school first must address its own transportation needs before looking at expanding any bus system to serve the community.

But at the very least, Dobbins said, the shuttle system would include bus stops along the direct route between the main campus and the River Campus.

Dobbins used to work at Kent State University in Ohio, which has a bus system that serves the entire county. Student drivers operate the buses. The system has over 50 full-size buses, Dobbins said.

Kent State University is a large school with an enrollment of almost 30,000, Dobbins said. The system is partly funded by the federal government. The general public can ride the buses for a fee, he said.

"You run it like a transit system," said Dobbins.

But he said he isn't suggesting that such a system would be duplicated here.

"We in no way want to compete with private enterprise," said Dobbins. "The first priority is the students."

But Dobbins said some grant money may be available to expand the shuttle system to serve non-students as well as students.

Southeast's current shuttle system is funded largely with parking permit fees paid by students. Very little comes from federal funding, he said.