A staff member suffered minor injuries after being hit by a DPS golf cart in front of the north entrance of DuBourg Hall at approximately 11:00 a.m. last Friday, Oct. 29.
Teresa Harvey, an administrative assistant in the history department, was walking out of DuBourg Hall with fellow staff member Carole Sharp as the cart drove by, knocking Harvey down on the sidewalk.
“I was standing right next to her and almost got hit myself,” Sharp said. “We didn’t see it coming-the golf cart just came flying by.”
The DPS officer driving the golf cart stopped and took note of the incident but offered no apology, according to Harvey.
“I was hurt, I was embarrassed,” Harvey said. “[The officer] did stop but didn’t offer an apology. He just asked for information, like my name and where I worked.”
Harvey said that she received a call on Tuesday from Director of Public Safety Jack Titone during which he apologized for the incident on behalf of DPS and cited responsibility and fault to DPS. “He was very sincere,” Harvey said.
Although not severely injured, Harvey said she still feels aches in several areas, including her right forearm, from her elbow to her shoulder, her right hip and underneath her left shoulder. Harvey did not require emergency care, but she received a tetanus shot and an x-ray of her right arm at Student Health Services in Marchetti Towers.
Harvey praised SHS for their assistance and care. “Our students are so lucky to receive the care they do. They knew how humiliated I felt,” Harvey said.
Harvey and several faculty members spoke about the dangers of golf carts and other vehicles to the campus, especially when driven at fast speeds.
“The golf carts go around this campus like you wouldn’t believe,” Harvey said. “They’re inconsiderate. They don’t slow down for you-you have to get out of the way.”
Harvey said that she understands that vehicles are necessary to escort persons, such as elderly visitors, around campus, but they still pose a threat.
Charlotte Borst, chair of the history department, expressed her concern about last Friday’s incident. “Naturally I was concerned for her,” Borst said. “When she came back to the office she was bleeding and extremely upset.”
Borst, whose office overlooks Lindell Boulevard, said she had seen golf carts and other vehicles driving by at fast speeds. “I wasn’t terribly surprised that this happened, but I was distressed that it was Teresa.”
Borst said that she also had received a response from Titone after sending out an e-mail describing the event. “Titone was very apologetic on behalf of his department,” Borst said. “[Provost Sandra Johnson] also responded and was very concerned.”
John Ashby, director in the Instructional Media Center, said that the danger of driving golf carts, maintenance cars and other such vehicles at high speeds was also apparent in the area between Xavier Hall and IMC, also known as the Xavier Annex.
“I’ve had long discussions with the facilities department about pedestrians walking along the route between Xavier and Xavier Annex,” Ashby said. “I can easily understand how these things are a hazard.”
