Parking forum to be held to discuss concerns

Story by Teddy MartinContributing writer

Kalli Bubb/The News The parking lot located outside of Pogue Library is popular for students, faculty and staff.
Kalli Bubb/The News
The parking lot located outside of Pogue Library is popular for students, faculty and staff.

The Student Government Association, or SGA, will host a parking forum for students to discuss issues affecting all drivers at the University at 5 p.m. Sept. 21 in the Curris Center Theater.

The forum will begin with a presentation by Parking Management and Public Safety and Emergency Management regarding parking regulations and construction updates. A Q&A will follow to address additional questions and to allow students to voice opinions about future parking possibilities.

“This gives Parking Management the opportunity to pass along important information about our parking system and gives our students the opportunity to pass ideas to the people at the top,” said Clint Combs, SGA president.

The Q&A portion will begin with pre-submitted questions and will conclude with student submissions that can be made before and during the forum, with hopes of producing “fresh ideas” as an outcome, Combs said. 

Student demand is the reason for hosting the event and SGA plans to make this a once per semester event. 

“The consensus among students is frustration about parking, and we want to help alleviate that as best as we can,” Combs said.

COMBS,-Clint
Combs

For instance, Brooke Croel, sophomore from Bruce, Wisconsin, is a commuter and said she is often late to her classes in the A. Carman Pavilion Animal Health Facility because of an inability to find a parking spot.

“There are some days where I am parked at least a half mile away,” Croel said.

Croel said she has ten minutes to get from class on campus to the Carman Pavilion – two miles off campus. In addition to herself, she said other students in her situation regularly are late to class because of lack of nearby parking.

“There have been times when it looks like there’s no parking at all,” said Ashley Hathcock, sophomore from Murray.

Hathcock said she is unsure where to park when there are no spots available. She said she has received a parking ticket for parking in the wrong zone when she returned from an appointment and had to rush to class right after. Hathcock plans to attend the forum to discover answers to her questions about zoned parking.

Combs said he encourages students to share their opinions with student senators in addition to attending the forum. 

“Change doesn’t come from sitting and waiting, we need to be active and let our voices be heard,” Combs said.

Scroll to Top