Along with the hike in parking ticket fines, the likelihood of obtaining one of these orange surpises is now on the rise for the Class of 2012.
Seniors in the Village area are restricted to a parking row next to the apartments, the back corner of the Quick Center lot, and the Bellarmine lot, which is about a 10-minute walk from the apartments. But on Tuesday of this week, parking for residential seniors was further restricted as several rows of the gold zone in the Quick Center lot were “given back” to the Quick Center.
For the seniors who use this parking lot every day, it is common for the back corner of the lot to be full of student cars and the rest, set aside for patrons, to be desolate. So the question is: Why the change? It seems as though students need more spaces, yet the number provided continues to be reduced. When asked about the change, a member of the parking office simply replied, “The decision has been made.”
It seems as though the only decision that has been made is that the comfort of Quick Center patrons has trumped the safety of Fairfield University seniors. As students, we live here seven days a week, attending classes and participating in extracurricular activities. Quick Center patrons come to campus once a week to attend an event that may last a few hours.
So where is the moral obligation that Fairfield has to its students when considering their safety needs? If students have responsibly volunteered to be designated drivers for their friends, should they have to risk their safety by taking the poorly lit walk from the Bellarmine lot at 2 a.m.?
There are many elderly patrons who attend these events, and undoubtedly these patrons should be able to park as close as possible to the Quick Center. But why can’t those who are able-bodied park at the two other lots that are just as close?
As seniors at Fairfield, we have noticed many changes about the parking policies at our school over the years. Most notable is the increase of both parking fines ($20 to $40) and parking permits ($80 to $120). Sophomore year, the administration decided that we would no longer be permitted to bring our cars onto campus. As juniors, we were forced to walk across the townhouses from the Dolan lot. And now as seniors living in the apartments, our spots are being given away to people who do not need them.
According to the 2011-2012 parking flyer, “Fairfield University appreciates the cooperation and courtesy shown by students, employees, and visitors who observe established parking and traffic regulations.” Seniors have cooperated for three years– where’s the appreciation?
As a wise superhero once said, “With power comes great responsibility.” It seems as though we are held to be responsible adults. So when it comes to decisions such as these, where is our power?
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