Campus Voice
Wednesday, October 7,2009 {The Blue Banner} 19
Enforcement of parking policies is a necessity
Both students and security must abide by university parking regulations
Parking on campus can be a
hassle for students, but it is even
more of a hassle for security of
ficers who distribute citations.
Before commuter and resi
dential students complain about
fewer parking spaces, they should
consider abiding by university
parking regulations.
One important regulation is
parking in your designated area.
Residential students are not al
lowed to park in nonresidential
student or faculty lots at any time,
according to the UNC Asheville
Transportation Office.
“Quite often, we find residen
tial students who do not park in
their section because it was full,”
said Dennis Thompson, universi
ty security officer. “There is a $10
fee for unauthorized parking.”
Fewer parking spaces exist for
everyone when someone parks in
the wrong area.
“On the fifth citation, students
get the boot. This is one of many
methods we use that get the driv
er’s attention,” Thompson said.
Since university officials tell
residential and commuter stu
dents where to park, everyone
should follow these regulations.
“When I’m late to class, it’s
because I couldn’t find a parking
Space,” commuter student Tonya
Warren said. “I have to leave 45
minutes in advance - 30 minutes
m get to school and 15 minutes to
find parking and make it to class.”
How would you feel if some
one took your parking space?
It’s not fair to nonresidents like
Warren who arrive early only to
find no parking.
“The worst was when I had to
go all the way up to the Reuter
Center to get the very last spot,”
Warren said. “All of my classes
By Precious Barksdale
Staff Writer
PJBARKSD@UNCA.EDU
The answer is not to create more parking
areas, but to maintain and legitimize the
existing policies.
are in New Hall and Zageir Hall,
so it doesn’t make sense for me to
park anywhere else.”
Although there is limited park
ing, commuter students can also
use free parking sections on cam-
pus.
Lots A and B are areas where
commuter students can park for
free, according to UNCA officials.
“My husband and I park in Lot
A because it’s much cheaper than
paying $70 for a parking permit,”
commuter student Laura Fountain
said. “If I had to decide between
walking for 20 minutes or paying
gas money. I’d be willing to take
the walk.”
Just because free parking lots
are not in the desired proxim
ity for commuters does not mean
they shouldn’t be used.
“The university should build
more flat land parking. With win
ter coming and the asphalt being
so slick, I can’t imagine walking
up or down the hill during such
bad weather,” Warren said.
While bad weather does hinder
commuter students from driving
and parking on campus, they can
also ride the shuttle. The univer
sity shuttle takes anyone to areas
all around campus.
“Now that I know the shuttle
stops where I park, I will defi
nitely use it when winter arrives,”
Fountain said.
If commuters used more uni
versity methods of transportation.
there would be fewer parking is
sues.
“A lot of the parking concerns
come from people who don’t read
the policies,” Thompson said. “I
would be more than willing to
answer questions about parking
regulations instead of writing so
many parking citations.”
The transportation office Web
site includes parking regulations,
alternative transportation and oth
er programs, Thompson said.
“The majority of parking cita
tions come during the beginning
of both the spring and fall semes
ters. The percentage dies down as
the semester goes on,” Thompson
said.
Lack of communication could
also be a reason commuter stu
dents are unaware of parking reg
ulations.
“I’ve noticed a lot of people
who park in places where they
aren’t supposed to park. Maybe
it would be better if the univer
sity put up more signs that distin
guished parking areas,” Fountain
said.
The university campus map
seems to be the only source of
parking designations other than
the transportation Web site
The parking signs are too small,
especially due to the amount of
scattered parking areas. If the
university provided larger signs,
there would be less confusion.
This constructive criticism
does not excuse lazy residen
tial and commuter students who
should know where to park.
Rather, it is a suggestion for
nonresidential students that attend
the university on an everyday ba
sis.
, “Even visitors have a hard time
trying to find parking on campus,”
Fountain said. “There should be
more signs that tell students, fac
ulty and staff where not to park.”
The transportation office should
better inform students of parking
options, while well-informed stu
dents should follow the rules.
“To me it seenjs like the num
ber of commuter students enrolled
and the amount of parking spaces
provided don’t match up,” Warren
said.
Although university parking
decreased due to construction, the
transportation office said it will
provide more parking for com
muters.
The answer is not to create more
parking areas, but to maintain and
legitimize the existing policies.
Either residential and commuter
students do not follow regulations
by choice, or they aren’t properly
informed.
Building another parking deck
would only solve part of the prob
lem.
The university shouldn’t offer
more spaces if parking regulators
and students don’t communicate
and try to curtail parking citations.
Campus parking policies are
available online at www.unca.edu/
transportation/parking .asp.