Last updated on Sep 28, 2016
By Nicole Curcio
Staff Writer
Illegal parking has expanded throughout campus. With Public Safety not offering advice or cautions about parking, 50 percent of the student body that commutes are taking own initiatives when parking their cars.
Diamond White, a senior musical theatre major, and commuter from Jamacia, Queens, for two years has now switched to being a resident student. A key reason for her switch was because the parking situation was “plain awful.”
“I usu- ally tried to park as close to Kahn or the Little Theatre as possible being that all of my classes were in the theatre building, but there were times where I literally had to park at the dorms,” White said. Her biggest frustrations came when Tilles had shows during school hours. “There’s no parking and we all have class. Where are we expected to go when you block off two full parking lots for shows at Tilles?” she said.
From what she can recall, White has been ticketed 11 times total. She has received tickets in areas without any limitations or signs restricting student parking. Recently she has been ticketed in her designated dorm lot. The school has placed holds on her account that prevents her from viewing her grades and applying for graduation.
“I’ve tried to fight most of the tickets being that a lot of times [when I got the tickets] it was because I had to simply drop stuff off,” she said. None of her arguments have been successful. However, it is possible to have ticketless success on campus. Unlike White, Chiara Marangelli has never received a ticket. The senior childhood education major has been commuting from Rosyln Heights for three consecutive years.
The seasoned commuter has found the strategy that comes with traveling to campus everyday. “You have to learn to figure out the times when not a lot of commuters have gotten to campus and parked yet,” she said. “If you give yourself some extra time in the morning, it’ll guarantee you a spot.” On snowy days, or days when lots are limited, Marangelli admits to having to park illegally but was fortunate to be overseen by public safety.
Which is the bigger issue? The first come, first serve procedures that the few lots follow, or Public Safety’s inconsistency toward ticketing vehicles. Though certain questions may only be answered through their office, Public Safety was unable to speak on behalf of the department.
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