OPINION: USC should support a partnership with LA Metro

USC is one of the most influential universities in California. In 2017, an independent economic impact study conducted by Beacon Economics found that USC generated $7.4 billion in economic output in Southern California, spent $3.7 billion in the state, spent $514 million on capital projects in Los Angeles County and generated $37.9 million for the local economy as a result of USC events. USC directly employs over 53,000 people throughout California. The University is influential, but even then, it still isolates its students from the local community.

The University has put effort into promoting Los Angeles Metro ridership among  students in the past, but most attempts have been ineffective. The Graduate Student Government is currently piloting a “U-Pass” program for its constituents, and some Undergraduate Student Government presidential tickets mentioned a discounted Metro pass program as an important platform point in the upcoming USG elections.

USG has seen numerous proposals for a U-Pass program, but these pose an internal issue as meetings with GSG, the Department of Transportation and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority rarely seem to end. Proposals for discounted Metro passes have been recurrent among USG candidates for years. Last year, five senatorial candidates included proposals in their platform, while this year three of 20 senatorial candidates did.

Though community isolation extends deeply into L.A., one of the immediate methods that could address this is the introduction of a program in partnership with the City of L.A. and Metro that offers discounted transportation, access to local museums, cultural events and more.

USC recently altered integral aspects of the local community with the introduction of USC Village, which led to the closure of Superior Grocers and several other businesses that were connected to the local community and offered fair prices and services. They expressed what USC should aim to become: a tight-knit community of both students and the local community.

However, hefty price tags and student-targeted retail seem far from intended “meaningful community benefits” as promised in USC Village’s mission statement. This is a stark contrast to U.S. Census Bureau data of the surrounding area’s over-$23,000 median household income — far under the 2017 estimation of California’s over-$69,000 median household income.   

In the University’s mission statement, there is a clear call to action regarding “respect and appreciation for others.” However, according to Washington Monthly’s college guide and rankings, USC ranks 192nd among national universities in the category of service, defined as how much a university encourages its students to give back to their communities and to the country. The University’s superficial intents to break down barriers, without tangible action, makes its mission statement meaningless.

Even though students can benefit from free Lyft at night in areas near University campus, the Metro system extends far and wide — almost 100 miles of service. The large price difference between public transportation and Lyft further underlines the need for discounted Metro passes. A ride from USC to Santa Monica costs anywhere from $20 to $30 one-way depending on traffic and peak times with Lyft, while Metro takes the same amount of time and costs $1.75 one-way. Metro’s large expanse would also encourage local students to attend USC by putting forth the idea of affordability and ease-of-use regarding commute time.

Many universities across the United States already offer U-Pass programs and enhance them by establishing incentives for civic engagement. Rice University offers free Metro cards and a “Passport to Houston” program that provides free access to local museums and more, all accessible by the public transport covered by Rice’s provided Metro cards. Even in L.A. 15 other colleges provide U-Pass programs.

At USC, there has been little update or clarity on whether or not GSG’s program will be expanded. The program also requires an additional $105.50 fee on top of the included programming fee, possibly discouraging some potential customers.

If USC encourages its students to use public transport, it would also help promote the city’s efforts to expand Metro, perhaps even shifting public opinion of the viability of public transit.

The power that USC holds is immense, and it should use this power to support use and expansions of public transportation. By increasing the mobility of USC students and cultivating further civic engagement, the University will be doing its part as a member of the L.A. community. Encouraging public transportation is socially and environmentally friendly and benefits both USC students and the city.