Royal Purple

Issue date: 5/13/09 Section: Opinion

Baumann [Click to enlarge]

Like many other students, I commute. This was my first semester driving to class and an enjoyable, money-saving one at that. Of course, there are also negative factors commuters have to deal with like ice and snow in the winters, car trouble, gas expenses, and the most frustrating of all: campus parking. With lot 3 becoming the construction site of the new dormitory, parking on campus has become a labyrinth of regulations.

Many students have the majority classes in Upham, Winther, and Heide halls, so lots 12 and 14 fill up faster than most. With half of lot 12 infected with meter marking and half of 14 labeled "reserved," to get even an average spot means arriving early in the morning.

There are hardly enough close spots available, and what's available is congested and holds too many restrictions. Luckily, I have class every morning at 8:50 a.m. (if you can call having class that early lucky), but I am forced to be on campus when parking is still available. In the afternoon, lot 14 and has a huge majority of the "reserved" stalls going unused.

It's become common to see those unholy pink slips plaguing commuters, who only have one afternoon class, park in a reserved space and gamble on whether or not the parking Nazis will ticket them.

Commuters purchase permits for $110 for the year but more than likely they'll dish out more money. With spots be taken quickly in the morning, afternoon students are left with poor options. They can park across campus and walk to class. It isn't a terrible choice with summer approaching but on rainy days and in the winter, outside in the elements is the last place anyone wants to be.

The second option is to park in stalls featuring parking meters, but those can easily be traps for tickets. Even more tedious can be taking time everyday to feed $2 in coins into the slot.

Another unfair part of purchasing the commuters permit is the lot-by-lot regulations. Oddly enough, an expensive permit doesn't allow parking in lot 8 that circles the six-pack residence halls, even though many spots there are often available. All this while lot 3 across the street, the second closest, has disappeared under construction.

The administration should make more parking spaces available, or have less restrictions where commuters can park (i.e. less meters and reserved stalls.) Commuters are a huge population at this university and with money tight, traveling from home is more popular than ever. Finals are stressful enough; we don't need the thought of another parking ticket on our minds as we leave class and walk back to our cars.

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