The parking situation on campus has caused increasing concern among students, faculty and staff.
Marty Hamilton, associate vice president of financial administration, sent out a campus-wide email Sept. 7 addressing the issue.
He said, “Administration understands that with the new Bietz Center for Student Life starting construction, the loss of 52 parking spaces at McKee Library will create even more challenges for both students and employees,” he wrote.
However, administration has taken strides to help parking on campus. They have made the Virginia parking lot, located behind Hickman Science Center, available “to all employees and all students who are registered with a university parking sticker,” Hamilton said. The Virginia parking lot has 72 parking spaces and is accessible via the sidewalk behind Hickman.
Barry Tryon, professor in the School of Religion, has been teaching at Southern for eight years and said the parking problem has gotten worse over time.
“I’ve had good students, who are community students, come in late to class because they couldn’t find parking. Until the construction is done, I think it’s going to be an ongoing issue,” said Tyron.
Many responded via Twitter to the parking problem on campus.
Isaac James, director of marketing and university relations, said, “I only notice parking issues at the beginning of the semesters when people are on campus sorting out class schedules and getting into a rhythm. With the new student center, we’ll lose some parking, so I know more discussion has been happening about employees parking further out.”
Image credit: Joseph Hyde