On-campus parking has been a topic of discussion among students this semester.
A new parking lot was put in over the summer in front of Tuay Jones and students were excited, until they found out it was not for them.
Not only are the new parking spots not for student use, but parking permits were issued to all students and faculty. Cars found in the incorrect spots are now issued citations.
Many students still use the faculty parking lot at night with the intention of moving their cars. Tickets are issued first thing in the morning, as some students found out the hard way.
Sophomore Robert Utter said he received a ticket a few weeks ago for parking in the faculty lot in front of Tuay Jones. He did not realize the car needed to be moved by 7 a.m., and did not get there until 8:30a.m.
“I don’t want to park on the street because I don’t want my stuff broken into,” Utter said.
The ticket issued to Utter said he had 30 days to pay it or risk a fine increase. Unpaid tickets could result in revocation of parking permit.
Security issued many tickets the first week of the new zone parking. Campus security members chose not to comment.
Other universities are cracking down on parking tickets and trying to get them paid. According to the website Inside Higher Ed, schools are going so far as to hire head-hunters to track down off campus violators.
The faculty parking lot and the parking lot behind the union now have two-hour parking for visitors. Senior Kaitlyn Johnson thinks the spots are unnecessary.
“The visitor spots by the union are taking up 5 student spots now and nobody parks in them except at games, which usually last more than 2 hours anyway, so if they enforce the two-hour parking, visitors will have to move their vehicles too,” Johnson said.
At night when the student parking is full, if a student does not want to wake up in the morning to move their car, the only option is the Hull Center parking lot.
Johnson and Utter both felt the Hull Center was not the safest place for students to park.
“I don’t always feel comfortable walking from the Hull Center parking lot to Brown by myself,” Johnson said. “I think better lighting should be installed.”
Johnson also suggested a security guard to patrol that area at night.
Utter went a more technological route suggesting a gate that students could swipe their cards through.
“The Hull Center parking lot is absolutely not lit well enough,” he said. “It’s not near anybody on campus so if something were to happen like an alarm going off it wouldn’t be heard.” he said.