Booted Up: Students are enraged with the Parking on campus

As the fall semester continues, campus is bustling with activity, and with that comes the usual battle for parking spots. Overflowing parking lots, frayed nerves, and delayed arrivals are frequently the results of the spike in student enrollment and the scarcity of parking spaces. Ticketing has begun and seems to be the root of many of our students’ problems. Students are curious about the nature at which cars receive tickets. Unfortunately, with the abundance of new students on campus comes the issue of space. Many students have complained of these issues they have been facing regarding parking on campus. Eric Reid, Director of Traffic and Parking stated, “Emails were sent out at the beginning of the year regarding instructions on registering their car, and even attended freshman orientation to reach out and inform our new students.” Space is not an issue on this campus with 5500 parking spaces, as it leaves students and faculty with more than enough spaces. Many students have missed the target by not registering cars or parking in unzone spots and restricted areas. The university does not acknowledge the use of automobiles as necessary for transportation on campus during the hours of zone parking. Its main purpose is to reach the designated lots or drive off campus. The Police Department is in the back of campus next to Dolores M.R. Spike Honor College and behind T.T. Allain, where students can handle all traffic and parking needs. These passes will allow students to park in designated areas and reduce the number of tickets received. Reid states that an unregistered car that receives up to 3 tickets will be subject to booting and towing. Clearing the worries and handling all business immediately is best. Students who reside on the North Campus find themselves in various spots around campus to be closer to the academic buildings. “We as students have nowhere to park at all,” said Honesti Clayton a freshman nursing student. On campus, residents zoned in the south would include Wallace Lee Bradford Hall, Bethune Hall, Horace G. White Hall, William Edward Reed Hall, and Grandison Hall. Students zoned to park in the North of campus would be towards the back of campus, including Camille Shade Hall, Samuella V. Totty Hall, Us. Jones Hall, Alice Boley Hall, and University Apartments. The commuter lot is located next to A.W. Mumford Stadium. Student Parking that is deemed for all will be the F.G Clark Activity Center. These areas will be the proper locations where students, depending on their zone, can park free of ticketing, booting, or towing. Many students must be aware of the other ways to reduce traffic violations. The central hot zones, such as Smith-Brown Memorial Student Union, Mayberry Dining Hall, and DeBose Hall, are allowed parking after 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The complicated task of controlling parking and ticketing on university campuses calls for careful thought and creative solutions. Universities must balance supporting sustainability and just enforcement while offering convenient parking alternatives for their students, teachers, and staff. Universities can change the frequently irritating experience of campus parking into a smoother, more accessible, and ecologically responsible aspect of campus life by embracing technology, interacting with the campus community, and cultivating a culture of shared responsibility. By doing so, they improve the campus environment by fostering a more favorable setting for learning and cooperation.