Editor Dalila explores the parking situation at Meramec
By: DALILA KAHVEDZIC
Asst. Art & Life Editor
Finding a good parking spot anywhere on campus appears nearly impossible, seemingly even more so when you are finding yourself having to sprint across campus to make it to the class that you swore you would never be late to again.
On snow and ice. Did I mention wind? Strong winds. Two overly-sized textbooks in one hand, a scorching hot coffee cup that is supposed to keep you sane throughout the day in the other, not to mention the 60 pound backpack.
With the winter season having quickly approached, it is safe to say that a majority of students want the closest parking spot they can possibly get without having to arrive 30 minutes early and circle the lot 10 times waiting for someone to leave.
However, I am parking at the end of Narnia when the much closer to campus, faculty parking lot seems to always be half empty.
Let’s be real for a moment, faculty definitely deserves to have the spots that they do. They earn them, and work hard for them. But deserved parking spots and needed parking spots are two completely diverse things.
Students are fully aware that the sooner they are on campus, the better of a parking spot they will get.
But getting real again, a 7 a.m. class was taken either because it is the only way it works with a personal schedule, it was the only time that one atrocious class that has nothing to do with your actual degree was available, or students just signed up for classes way too late and have no other choice.
Whatever the case may be, the amount of parking spots that are empty in the faculty parking lots whether it be between 10 a.m. or 3 p.m. could be put to better use.
Winter last year was horrid, so having students park so far away from campus and walk on snow and ice with the possibility of completely demolishing their necks seems highly unfair.
Especially when there seems to be an almost barren parking lot with a much shorter walk to campus (and let’s not even get into the scenario of seeing a student park in a handicap parking spot, but they seemingly walk better and faster than you).
Laziness is not of an issue here, but rather safety, convenience and fairness to students that deserve as much as faculty.
Minimizing faculty parking spots would be a quick and easy solution to many issues students may be experiencing.
If minimizing the spots is not an easy fix, letting students park during certain hours would be helpful as well.
Busy mornings and late nights appear to be the times when students are most desperate. Students are benefiting but not hurting the faculty. A win-win situation.
