A Proposition to Change the Parking Issue around UNCSA Campus

***Please do not sign this petition unless you have a direct connecton to UNCSA ***

With the transition from a fully operational campus into one filled with construction, we understand that there must be changes in the daily operations of our campus to ensure the safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors.  A large construction effort is underway and consuming much of the campus’ previously available parking resources.  We, the hinder signed students are concerned that the most recent rules and changes may not be in the best interest for the continued operation of this acclaimed school.

The issue that concerns us most is the reallocation of parking around the campus. We believe that the distribution of faculty/staff/visitor parking vs. resident/commuter parking is unbalanced.  This document combines opinions and suggestions from the student body and is presented with the intention of revealing these challenges and suggesting solutions to the Office of Public Safety and Transportation, Deans of each Arts program and Chancellor Mauceri.  The students wish to approach this issue with respect for the system and hope for a resulting solution that will appease all involved. 

Overview of problem:

In previous years, parking around campus has been fairly distributed, but with the construction changes came that shifted the balance.  Campus Police has made its point about safety concerns very clear, and it is understood that Ehle Dr must remain closed and certain areas are off limits for parking due to construction.

The biggest issue is the switching of the old Commuter Lot from Commuter/Center Stage, to only Faculty/Staff/Visitor. In the first weeks of school, students have witnessed a serious lack of cars in the old commuter lot (please see attached photographs on pg 4).  On a daily basis, it is rarely even ¼ full, counting both faculty and visitor cars.  If there was a serious lack of faculty parking, then the students would be more understanding about the restrictions, but seeing as the lot is available and not being utilized, the students do not understand why we are being banned.

By a student’s estimation,¹ the amount of faculty parking spaces lost to construction zoning comes to around 95 spaces—20 spaces outside of the Performance Place, 25 spaces in the area off of Chapel and roughly 50 spaces in the parking by the high school and campus police station. We understand for the need of a shift in parking to be made to compensate for these lost spaces, but do not agree that closing parking to students is the appropriate solution.  This Parking shift has resulted in many students choosing to park off campus in the surrounding neighborhoods (See attached photograph of Center St. pg 5). This raises other concerns about safety for students and their motor vehicle

  A subsequent issue to discuss is the break in communication in regards to the spaces outside of the D&P Loading Dock. When purchasing passes this year, D&P students were informed, through maps distributed by the Campus Police with the new parking regulations, that those spaces were going to be designated for Commuter Students. However, Faculty began filling up these spots, without any communication as to the designation of these spots. We later found out that those spaces are now faculty and that the signs had ‘arrived that day.’

By the students estimation faculty has gained over 150 spaces. Pushing us into the Lower Lot does not solve the problem, as there are only about 100 spaces that aren’t usually used by permanent residents.  The demand for the lower lot has not increased largely because many commuter students have chosen to park off campus and have not purchased parking passes. 

Commuter students usually drive to and from campus three or more times a day. We do not have the luxury of eating on campus or having all our supplies in rooms central to all buildings. It has been asked; “Why are commuter students the ones who have to park the furthest away from all the art schools when we use our cars the most? For example, there is that small lot across from Bailey Street parallel to the field and a 1/2 lot in front of the gym shared with Faculty and Staff that is specifically Commuters. However, if we don't get to campus early enough we have to park in the back [the lower lot].”² “The result of [the lower lot’s] parking backup has left students to park in the surrounding neighborhood which negates the $65 parking pass they purchased”³

This Parking issue will become even more aggravated when we start production of shows on campus.  With one production under our belt (the Cirkus Project) students can say emphatically, “that the parking restrictions are impeding our productivity.”⁴ Our cars are integral to our productions, without them we would not run errands, shopping would not be done; commuters wouldn’t be able to get to their schools in a timely manner.  Having to park in the Lower Lot, climb to D&P to get books, notes, petty cash etc, and then run back to the Lower Lot to go shopping and then to battle the distance again upon re-arrival. This takes valuable time out of our days.  Students already deal with many time restrictions, that adding new obstacles has only made this worse. Opportunities are available to relieve that stress, the students do not see why the parking situation should not be rethought. 

Suggestion for change

The student body has thought intensely about compromises that could be made to give all parties the best possible results.  Our suggestions are as follows

1)    The commuter lot become a mixed lot. 

That 1/3 of the spaces are rezoned (and repainted) RESERVED for faculty/staff, and that the remaining spaces are available for commuters and visitors.  This will ensure that faculty has spaces, and then any remaining spaces can be used by students.  Students understand that if they can not find parking there, they must overflow to the lower lot.

2)    The Entry Signs to Lots should have a clarification sign that unless marked “24 Hr Reserved, all Reserved Spots are ticketable 7a-6p”

Conclusion

The reopening of the commuter lot would ease many tensions and release stress within in the student body. The student body respectfully requests the UNCSA administration to consider our input into this issue.