Advisory Committee on Transportation and Parking (ACT)

Transportation Executive Sponsors

The Transportation Executive Sponsors are responsible for making transportation and parking policy decisions for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill based on reports, presentations, and recommendations developed by the Advisory Committee on Transportation. Policy decisions that require changes to the Ordinance Regulating Traffic and Parking at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are sent to the Board of Trustees for final approval and adoption. Membership in the Executive Sponsor Group includes the following positions:

• Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operation (Chair)
• Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
• Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs
• Vice Chancellor for Human Resources and EOC
• Vice Chancellor for General Counsel
• Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
• Vice Chancellor for Communications
• Vice Chancellor for Research
• Director of Athletics
• Chief of Staff, Office of the Chancellor
• Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance
• Associate Vice Chancellor for Real Estate and Campus Enterprises

Advisory Committee on Transportation

The Advisory Committee on Transportation provides reports, presentations, and recommendations to the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations and the Transportation Executive Sponsors to assist them in setting transportation and parking policy.

Overview

Transportation and Parking is a receipt-supported business enterprise that is dependent on parking and transportation fees. By law, fine revenues, excluding a 20% allowance for operating costs, are transferred to the State of North Carolina for K-12 funding. Services are provided to meet University-wide access needs including those for academics, student life, health care, performing arts, and athletics. The University’s transportation system relies heavily on local transit to provide access to campus. As a partner in the Chapel Hill Transit system with the Town of Chapel Hill and the Town of Carrboro, UNC-Chapel Hill is responsible for 100% of the cost associated with UNC-Chapel Hill fully allocated routes and over one third of the cost of shared routes.

Specific Responsibilities of the Advisory Committee on Transportation

Members of the Advisory Committee on Transportation are expected to engage in the following actions:

• Knowledge Acquisition — Gain an understanding of the goals of the Campus Strategic and Master Plans, Sustainability, and Climate Action Plans, as well as the binding traffic mitigation strategies of the companion Development Plan approved by the Town of Chapel Hill. Participate in meetings and discussions to acquire a community perspective on issues and policy impacts. Members are invited to attend the monthly Chapel Hill Transit Partner
• Planning — Actively participate in the University’s transportation and parking planning efforts to present recommendations that are environmentally and financially sustainable, efficient, convenient and safe. Work in collaboration with University transportation and parking consultants to develop a five-year transportation and parking plan in support of the academic and health care missions. Present plans and recommendations to Transportation Executive Sponsors for review and approval.
• Advising — Provide reports, presentations and advisory recommendations to the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations and the Transportation Executive Sponsors to assist them in setting transportation and parking policy. Review, discuss, and provide advice on changes to the Ordinance.
• Communication and Input — Develop an effective communication plan to inform and solicit transportation and parking input from the campus community. Participate actively as a spokesperson for one’s representative group and for the Committee. Solicit input regarding proposed policy and service needs via survey tools, in-person presentations and feedback forms provided to committee.
• Subcommittee Participation — Develop and serve on subcommittee working groups, which often have members beyond the advisory committee, to address specific issues associated with representative groups or services. Subcommittees are responsible for reporting work and findings back to the advisory group annually or as requested. Established subcommittees to include the Transportation Working Group.
• Documentation and Annual Reporting — Document meeting information, for the advisory committee and all subcommittees, including charters, agendas, meeting minutes, data and reports on the Transportation and Parking ACT website. Transportation and Parking will provide statistical and budget data and other relevant supporting information on the transportation and parking system annually. The committee will provide an annual written report and presentation regarding deliberations and final recommendations to the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations and the Transportation Executive Sponsors. Opposing points of view are expected and will be fully discussed. If not completely resolved, opposing viewpoints will be reflected in the Committee’s recommendations and/or annual report. As decisions are made, Transportation and Parking’s website will be updated promptly to assure that the campus community receives accurate, complete and timely information.

Committee Membership

A Committee, not to exceed 14 members plus the Chair, will include representative members appointed by the leadership of each representative group. The Committee shall be broadly representative of primary campus constituencies. The Committee is chaired by the Director of Transportation and Parking (ex officio). Other ex officio members include Transportation and Parking Associate Directors. To the extent possible, appointed members will serve staggered terms for a period of up to three years to promote continuity. Appointed members may assign a back-up representative to attend meetings in their absence. ACT membership terms will be updated for Five Year Plan process.

One representative will be appointed by the leadership of the representative group from the following areas:

Advisory committee membership during the Five Year Plan process will expand to a maximum of 26 members. Each representative group will have two appointed members. The Student Transit/Safe Ride Fee Process requires that the positions of Student Body President and Treasurer and the Graduate and Professional Student Body President and Treasurer to serve. Post-doctoral fellows require representation from the director of post-doctoral affairs and the chair of the Post-doctoral Association. Additional ex officio members will include the Associate Vice Chancellor for Real Estate and Campus Enterprises, Chief of Police, Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities Services, and the Director of the Institute for the Environment.

Chair

The Executive Director of Transportation and Parking serves as Chair and organizes and carries out the committee’s work. The Chair works together with the Committee to set goals for each annual meeting cycle, develop meeting schedules, plan agendas for meetings and identify information needed for Committee discussion. The Chair ensures that reports and presentations to the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations and the Executive Sponsors are circulated to and agreed upon by Committee members.

Committee Procedures

The Advisory Committee on Transportation provides diverse perspectives and advice regarding the transportation and parking system at UNC-Chapel Hill. The Committee’s composition is intended to bring together the perspectives of primary constituencies concerning important transportation access. Because this is an advisory committee and members are not elected to serve as a proportionately representative oversight, policy or rulemaking body, the committee will be making recommendations but will not be voting on decisions or approving budgets. Relevant data and research associated with service prevision will be provided to the Committee so members may provide informed advice and recommendations to the Executive Sponsors. As an advisory group, the Committee must understand that the University has many competing needs and limited resources, thus not every recommendation can be implemented by the Executive Sponsors.

Although the Committee should take all concerns seriously, it should endeavor to provide advice that is consistent with the Campus Master and Development Plans and will be viewed as balanced, objective, fair, practical and in the best interests of the entire campus community. The Committee may work year-round on a June to May cycle but may organize its meeting and work schedule as it deems appropriate. At the end of each annual cycle, the Committee will conduct a self-evaluation of its work and recommend changes that will make the Committee’s deliberations more effective in the next cycle.

(Effective October 2022)