Campus briefs
Bronco Bikes to start pilot program this spring
The team behind bike-rental program Bronco Bikes plans to launch a three-month pilot program this spring.
"We're going to have a fleet of 20 running bikes and a sample group of around 60 students," said senior Kevin Carter, who is one of the four seniors behind Bronco Bikes.
In preparation for the pilot program, Bronco Bikes will be holding a T-shirt design contest to create hype about the program, said Carter. The winner of the contest, which is open to all students, will receive a free Bronco Bikes membership for a year.
"We're holding a T-shirt design contest because we want to use the T-shirts to support our marketing efforts," said Carter.
"We'll probably give the T-shirts to members of Bronco Bikes, and if it's a really cool T-shirt, we might also sell them to people who aren't members," he said.
According to Carter, the Bronco Bikes team has received a funding pledge that will cover start-up costs.
"We're pretty much sure-shot to get off the ground, so that's pretty cool," he said.
Campus Safety has designated an area on the west side of Benson center for Bronco Bikes racks.
"We're really glad to have Campus Safety's support for the program," said Carter.
The team has not encountered any major problems yet, said Carter.
Carter, who will be graduating in March, said the Bronco Bikes team is planning for the future.
"We have a constitution written out for the program which has guidelines that explain the duties that the four of us have," said Carter, referring to fellow teammates Elizabeth DiCarlo, Paul Arnaudo and Maidere Sorhondo. "We've been talking to some underclassmen who we're kind of grooming to fill our places."
According to Carter, these underclassmen will be incorporated into the pilot program, which will last until the end of spring quarter. The program will be in full operation in the summer, said Carter.
Leavey working for a higher rank
Business students have been invited to make YouTube videos about being a Santa Clara student as a part of the rankings for BusinessWeek magazine.
The weekly magazine will use the videos when they decide the rankings of undergraduate business schools across the country.
The video should include why the student feels their school should be ranked number one in the nation. Participants can post their videos on a Facebook page themselves, or e-mail it to the person in charge of the contest.
The Leavey School of Business is ranked 35th in the nation.
"We are proud of our current ranking and want to ensure that BusinessWeek continues to receive feedback on our undergraduate business program in the Leavey School of Business," wrote Jo-Anne Shibles, assistant dean for the undergraduate business programs.
Panel to discuss the future of alternative energies
The connection between Israel and Silicon Valley in the creation of alternative energies will be discussed tonight.
The discussion, which is sponsored by the Environmental Studies Institute, will center around questions regarding oil prices and their connection to the desire to discover new sources of fuel.
Representatives from technology firms will bring their own experiences in developing new technologies that drive competition.
Both Israel and the United States are working to become energy independent and to address global climate change.
The event will be in the St. Clare room in the Learning Commons at 6 p.m. tonight.
The Jewish Student Union is co-sponsoring the event with Jewish youth group Hillel of Silicon Valley.
From staff reports. E-mail news@thesantaclara.com.