Attention Village residents: Most of you will be parking next to Jogues this semester.

Why? The University’s Department of Facilities Management will be tearing down your major parking lot between Kostka and the library starting in February or March, according to Karen Donoghue.

Read more about the construction plans.

What does this mean for upperclassmen, who make up a majority of the Village residents?

It means a lot of new problems, particularly for seniors, who should be spending their final semester looking for jobs, taking electives and enjoying their last chance to be college students.

I am absolutely in favor of the University expanding its residence halls and improving its image for prospective students.

What makes me mad is the lack of respect that this decision shows to the students who are already here, especially the juniors and seniors who have worked hard to earn the privileges of nice housing and parking. Having to park far away from where you live is more than just an inconvenience.

What happens to the seniors who are counting on this semester’s internships to give them a boost in this very tough job market?

It takes 15-20 minutes to walk from the apartments to Jogues, and maybe even longer if you’re wearing heels.  That may not seem like much, but it makes a big difference at 6 a.m. when you’re trying to get the train to New York City on time, especially after the cancellation of the morning train shuttle.

It is difficult enough for seniors to fit the long hours of an internship into a busy schedule of classes, jobs and extracurriculars. Why would the university want to make it even harder for us?

Forcing Village residents to park in Jogues is going to mean lethal competition for the spots in the small parking lot behind the apartments. Even if there are not any spots available, there are definitely going to be students who try to park in the fire lane or on the grass.

When faced with the choice of illegally parking or making three trips back and forth to Jogues to carry your groceries into your room, what would you do?

Also, forcing Village residents to park across campus from where they live could be a safety hazard. Picture this: it’s 2 a.m. on a Saturday, and your roommate calls you asking for a ride home from the beach. Do you feel comfortable walking all the way across campus by yourself, just to get your car?

What, you didn’t know this was going to happen? That may be because the University informed you through an email sent on Dec. 15 — right in the middle of finals week, when students are busy studying for tests and do not have time to read their emails.

Maybe you did see the email. But did you make it three-quarters of the way through the 1,698 word message? That’s where Mark Reed first mentioned the notification about parking.

I don’t know about you, but that sounds to me like they were trying to hide it from us, the students, who are most impacted by their decision.

Is it too much to ask that our administration be open with us, and take into consideration our valid concerns for our own living situation and career plans? It shouldn’t be.

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