Letters to the Editor
City makes it painful to park
Dear editor,
As most of you are now painfully aware the parking situation at GCSU has become absurd.
A result of many issues: construction, new city policy, and a general lack of space to begin with, it seems as though the solution the administration came up with falls far short of logical.
The problem is not with the cities new plan, as the school is located in an urban area, and the local businesses deserve a fair share of parking. Nor is it upsetting that the teachers have exclusivity to the only lots near campus, they at least deserve a good spot for the work that they do.
That being said, something sinister is taking place. A vast portion of the student body is being exploited and taken advantage of by the very people whom are suppose to be looking out for us. Many students commute to this campus everyday just to attend GCSU. I myself spend over $50 and almost 10 hours travel time every week driving from my home in Macon. The school offers up a solution by issuing, at an additional fee of $40, commuter permits hypothetically granting a space in close proximity to the campus for those who purchase one.
The problem is that this year they turned the former commuter lot (Peabody) into employees only, leaving a diminutive amount of spaces a block away from campus for commuters. I have driven here everyday for two weeks now, and have yet to park in a space that I paid good money for, and I’m not alone.
As I scrambled to find a spot anywhere, two details became sadly apparent. The newly employee exclusive Peabody lot has been less then half full every day for two weeks now, and yesterday I counted 34 students parked on the side of the road, $40 commuter tags dangling from their rearview. Do the math and that’s close to $1,500 used to buy a nonexistent advantage.
No biggie, I’ll just run down to the parking office get a refund, and park in the free lot which is no farther from the library than the so-called commuter spots. NO DEAL!!! The school is issuing no refunds for these purchases, a new tough-luck policy that seems to be sweeping the nation. The worst part of it all is that the money that is not being refunded to the students, or going into building a parking deck where Peabody is or buying land nearby for more lots, rather it is going into the four daily patrols of ticketers.
Yes, you’ve seen them, they’re the ones in the $4,000 golf cart with computerized ticketing machines. Someone has to pay the security guard making sure no student dares park in the employee lot. And if you are unfortunate enough to receive a ticket from the school you will be shelling out $30. Funny as the city only sees it necessary to charge $10.
My point is that we the students are being taken advantage of. We already have to deal with so many stresses in school; why must this administration top it off with the frustration of finding somewhere to leave your car? I have had less problems parking at Georgia State, and it’s in downtown Atlanta. All we ask is for a solution that includes everyone. Why not allow the empty spaces in Peabody to be used by the handful of students that live outside Milledgeville?
The problem affects us all as students, as it is a simple example of how the administration feels they can get away with whatever they find acceptable. That is not right and something must be done.
Sincerely,
Chris Price
Senior
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Aug 31 2007. Filed under Letters to the Editor, Opinion.
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