If you park on campus, you probably notice the campus parking issues.
Students are expressing frustration with parking and campus transit, including finding a residential parking spot, confusion over parking permits, and more.
One of those students is freshman Linley Jones. Despite having a heart condition, Jones says SARC (Student Accessibility Resource Center) told her she could not receive disability parking on campus because she already paid for a residential permit. Jones lives in Southern Pines and says it’s a 15-minute walk to campus every day.
“…They were like ‘Sorry, you paid for the Residential Permit’, but it was either I pay for a zone and I get towed when I’m at my dorm, or I pay for a Residential [permit] and get towed when I’m on campus,” said Jones.
According to Permit Regulations on the University website, permit holders with temporary disabilities may obtain special parking permits from Transportation Services to park in Faculty/Staff parking on campus, and they last for 6 weeks. Jones has a chronic illness and this access pass would not aid her.
Another freshman, Lily Kilpatrick, had to use 30-minute parking temporarily because there were no parking spots available at her residential hall.
“You know, there’s just absolutely no way you can park in the front half. I live in building one [Centennial Place], and it’s impossible to get a spot that’s closer to your [dorm]. So when I came back last weekend, I parked in 30 minutes, which I was lucky for that,” said Kilpatrick.
Georgia Southern has resources for parking and transit information on the University’s parking and transportation webpage. But now, the Student Government Association (SGA) has created this Google Form for students to voice their concerns regarding parking or shuttle issues.
“We heard a lot of students talk about [parking and transit] issues, especially some of the senators, too, during the Senate meetings. So, what we have decided,–that we already created,–is this Google form, which we put on our social media. We have also told everybody to share with their friends, if they have a problem, go ahead and put their concerns there, because I am meeting with Mr. Blythe [soon].”, said Preet Patel, SGA’s Vice President of Business and Finance.
Jeff Blythe is the Associate Vice President for Auxiliary Services and the Executive Director of Administration. Preet says that he plans to meet with him soon and that Blythe plans to attend the next Senate meeting, where he will hear concerns from SGA members and comments from the Google form.
The next senate meeting is scheduled for September 9th.
