Student parking has long been a problem for students and teachers at Southern University. Not understanding the parking system on campus has contributed to the issue.
“I feel that the campus parking is very confusing, because I don’t know where I can and can’t park,” said LaTara Riley, junior mass communications major from Orlando, Fla.
According to the 2007-08 Traffic and Parking Regulations and Map booklet, zone parking refers to restricted areas around campus set aside for faculty and staff. Students aren’t allowed to park in these zones Mondays through Fridays between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
The Traffic and Parking booklet can be picked up at the Southern University Police Department.
Students are also ticketed and towed if they don’t have a Southern tag or are not parked in the correct student parking zone. The color of the student parking sticker determines which area a student is allowed to park.
“SUPD tickets about 200 cars daily that are not registered, in handicapped, restricted areas and in wrong zones,” said Kevin Johnson, Deputy Administrator University Police Department.
Commuters, who are given red decals (stickers), have four different parking areas: F.G. Clark Activity Center, A. W. Mumford Stadium, P.B.S. Pinchback Engineering Building and T.T. Allain.
Johnson said there are approximately 2,000 parking spaces for commuters and 1,000 for residents, not including the new apartments.
“As a commuter student, I think the parking for us is too far to walk; most times I park in residential parking,” said Jeff Daniels, senior mass communications major from Chicago.
Johnson also mentioned that parking areas by the stadium are about to go under construction and the students will be instructed to park behind the nursing building. This change of venue is due to an expansion of the stadium.
Student residential parking is separated into two categories: South Resident and North Resident. Students that reside in the south zone have green decals and those residing in the north have red decals.
The South Resident parking zones are located in three different areas: Bethune Hall, the right side of A.W. Mumford Stadium and Lottie Anthony Hall.
Students who reside in John Sebastian Jones, Ulysses S. Jones, Samuella V. Totty Hall, Camille Shade and the new apartment complex have to park in the north of campus. The parking areas for those students are located near their respective buildings. Students living in the new apartments do not have a different decal. Johnson said those students who reside in the new apartments receive the north decal.
“Parking is a bit aggravating,” said Kwanza Ezell, junior psychology major from Houma. “Maybe if the entire campus was made into a walking campus, which no one can drive to class, until then I have to remember the bus route or walk to class because I’m not getting another ticket.”
Southern University is a preferred “walking” campus, but it is not mandatory. A mandatory walking campus is where everyone parks on the outskirts of the campus: all students, employees and visitors walk to their destination.
The employees of the university, unlike the students, are differentiated by tags that may hang from their rearview mirrors. The faculty and staff are recognized by yellow tags; administrators have blue tags; law center faculty and staff have gold tags; law center administrators have light blue tags; retirees have silver tags; and temporary faculty and staff are given cardboard tags.
“The parking situation could improve,” said Shawn Comminey, professor of history. “They should explore other options, such as looking into building parking garages.”
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SU students confused about parking
March 10, 2008
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