JamIe Hufnagle/news editorParking on Cabrini’s campus has proven to be an ongoing issue among the faculty, staff and students. As the number of undergraduate students increase, the number of available parking spots decrease. This situation is leaving the student body outraged and concerned.
“I can’t stand it. There is no room to park. Driving around looking for a spot makes you late to class and most teachers are not very lenient with that,” senior business major Karl Eversmeyer said.
The shortage of parking spots for the students has left many late to class or with parking tickets for parking in illegal spots.
“The permits are pricey,” sophomore business administration major Drew Sutton said. ” I don’t want to pay ninety dollars for a permit and then have to walk 15 minutes to class after parking in the Sullivan parking lot. There should be enough parking spots on campus for those who buy the permits.”
Many students have resorted to avoiding the purchase of the parking permits because they feel as though it is a waste of money. Eversmeyer said, ” I refuse to buy a permit and not have a guaranteed spot. I think that’s ridiculous.”
In response to the incessant complaints of the student body, the director of public safety, Lillian Burroughs, said in an email to the Loquitur, ” The Cabrini Administration has known about parking problems on campus for some time. We are looking for ways to temporarily ease the burden.”
Burroughs said that Cabrini is growing not only academically but residentially as well, and most students, including freshman, have a car on campus. Public safety is doing as much as they can to limit residential parking for freshman and is utilizing the Valley Forge Military Academy Sullivan parking lot for approved residential freshman.
“It would help if the residential students stayed parked so the commuters can find a space designated specifically for commuters,” said Burroughs.
The commuters and many residents who cannot find parking spots on campus are beginning to park along the rows of parked cars in each parking lot, on the grass areas and numerous other unmarked spots.
In response, Burroughs said, “We have been very considerate with parking violations, especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays. My expectation is that this is only for a short time on these days and the vehicles will be moved.”
When the vehicles are not moved after class, it creates an illegal parking space, which forces public safety to write out a violation.
Burroughs said that she believes that more students are being ticketed due to better management of the parking program forcing all students to register their cars and bringing attention to those that want to drive carelessly on campus.
As of yet, no changes or improvements have made themselves evident in this urgent matter at Cabrini. The students remain concerned while public safety continues to look at ways to better the situation.
“There is definitely not enough parking on campus,” junior education major Jess Sampson said. “Cabrini should consider creating more spots where the upperclassmen reside, so they will not take up the spots in the commuter lots.”
Public safety remains firm on improving the issue and urges all students to register their cars. “Our goal is to have a safe and secure campus,” said Burroughs.
While the management of the parking program may be better, the parking program itself remains unimproved and students remain unsatisfied.
