At the beginning of each semester, students with cars have to renew their parking permits. These parking permits are $45 for undergraduate and $15 for graduate students. A fine of $15 is issued if a student does not have a permit sticker on his or her vehicle.
Many students do not understand the necessity of parking permits.
“I don’t understand the purpose of buying a sticker when I don’t even own a personal parking spot,” said sophomore social work major Lynn Deaux.
Specific lots on campus only allow certain permit stickers such as those for faculty, commuter or the dorms.
“Parking permits are a good way to organize the students’ cars,” said Paula Macena, a sophomore English major. “They keep parking lots from becoming too crowded with cars that shouldn’t be there.”
Dispatch Supervisor and Office Manager for Campus Safety Corbert Cole explained the purpose behind the permit designations of the campus parking lots.
“The majority of parking lots on campus have specific designation based on the proximity to the buildings and departments they are near and what those departments’ needs are,” Cole said. “The university has a parking advisory committee that evaluates the parking lots, their usage and the needs of the departments periodically throughout the year to reclassify any parking lots as needed.”
According to Cole, Southern’s administration has deemed the campus as primarily pedestrian. A pedestrian campus means that dorm residents usually walk to class, and those who drive are usually commuters or Village residents. Open parking is available depending on the time, as listed in the Vehicle Registration and Regulations webpage:
“During open parking hours, all currently registered vehicles may be parked in any lot except for the visitor parking lot in front of Wright Hall. Open parking is available Monday to Thursday, 5:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., and Friday 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. the following Monday.”
As construction of the Bietz Center for Student Life continues, Cole states that an additional parking lot is currently being planned. Construction of the new parking lot should cut down on the traffic generated by the building. However, according to Cole, many of the details are still unclear, and plans are being decided by Financial Administration.
