Michael Ragan
By Russ Lindquist
GROSSMONT COLLEGE — In a time when everyone seems to have his or her own cellular connection to the world, some consider payphones silly.
However, Michael Ragan, a 2005 Grossmont alumnus and evening lead tutor at the tech-mall, believes that including a payphone on campus would solve a lot of problems for a lot of people.
Ragan said that students, “on a daily basis,” approach staff members saying that their cellphones has died, and asking to borrow a staff member’s phone. “I actually do not have a cellphone,” Ragan said, “and I would never want to have to answer to someone’s parent if I did not let them use a phone and they ended up having to walk and then got attacked.”
In the background of his comments was the reported sexual assault on April 12 in the parking structure here on campus.
To be sure, Ragan in no way supposes that a payphone would necessarily have helped in regards to the aforementioned alleged sexual assault, however he is certain that a payphone would be a welcome tool for many students, especially for those without a cellphone who are coordinating transportation from Grossmont after a late-night class.
There were payphones in the front of the school, before construction began years ago; but those have since been removed.
“We would certainly consider the inclusion of a payphone; the ASGC could submit a request to the facilities committee, then, upon approval, it would go back to the ASGC [where they then would consider how to budget for it],” said Tim Flood, Vice President of Administrative Services.
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Lindquist is Managing Editor of the GC Summit
