THIS EDITION Volume 21, No. 4 May 01, 2003

Front Page

Parking squeeze

On April 21, students arriving on campus in the morning were greeted by signs in front of a number of parking spots that read, “Reserved Senior Parking MON-FRI 6AM-2PM.”

These signs are part of a pilot program that was initially started to help senior citizens who use the pool regularly for aerobic and stretch exercises. Some seniors complained to the head of physical education regarding problems with parking.

The complaints and proposed suggestion made their way through bureaucracy until they ended up in front of Dr. Herlinda Coronado, president of the college, and her cabinet. After some discussion and questions of feasibility, they decided to pilot the program. The pilot will run through the end of the fall semester.

“It came together very nicely,” said Korkye Purviance, director of the continuing education program. “(The seniors) asked very professionally.”

In total, 21 spots near the pool and the entrance to building A have been reserved weekdays between the hours of 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. The spots outside of building A were added so that students who are senior citizens would have easy access to the primary buildings on campus. Around 80 to 100 senior citizens currently take classes at North Lake College, according to Purviance.

In order to use these parking spots, seniors (defined as being aged 55 and above) will have to obtain a voucher from Purviance or Brent Dudenhoeffer, program director of career and continuing education athletics department. The voucher is then exchanged with campus police for a decal that is placed in the window of their car. Faculty and staff are not eligible to use the spots.

Students or faculty who park in the spaces without the decal will receive college citations. After they receive four citations, the officer will have the option of issuing a citation from the City of Irving.

Reactions from students and faculty have been mixed. When asked, emotions ranged from apathy to understanding to displeasure. One student described the changes as “pathetic.” Others expressed concerns about parking issues that already exist on campus and worry about how the situation will be at the beginning of the fall semester. Still others thought that there should be no reserved spots at all for faculty, the elderly, or otherwise.

Coronado said that some negative feedback was expected. “From the moment I stepped on campus, parking has been an issue,” she said. “I hope students would understand and have a sense of courtesy towards those who have difficulties.”

Students or faculty who have issues should take them to either John Watson, director of facilities, or Danny Morris, chief of campus police. Watson can be reached in N201, while Morris will be available at 972-273-3301 or in C204-E.

“This is a pilot program,” said Watson. “We want people’s views.”