For the past two years, I was your typical college student. I lived in the dorms on campus, woke up a half-hour before each class, and took for granted the easy access and easy "commute" I had to the academic buildings.
I was spoiled.
Now, in my third year here at UB, I've moved home with my parents in an attempt to (hopefully) save up some money for grad school.
Don't get the wrong idea: I'm still very involved in campus life, but living at home has its perks. Home-cooked meals, no shower shoes, and finally I own my own car. Again, you could say I am spoiled.
What I've also gained is a 20-minute commute to and from campus. Although the drive itself is a piece of cake, it's imagining the torment of finding a parking spot that leaves me in a cold sweat.
Wednesday morning, I woke up late and arrived to UB 10 minutes before my first class. I was welcomed by the inability to find any parking remotely near my building and spent almost a half-hour looking for a spot that didn't require hours of walking, scratching past cars, or making illegal moves. And if that wasn't enough, I almost had two different students t-bone my car and was left screaming expletives at the top of my lungs.
It's no secret that UB parking is something that commuter students see as their worst nightmare and I'm definitely not the first to list the complaints. But, I think it's really time for we the students to let the administration know that this is something that is only getting worse as the semesters and years progress. Complaining to our friends and peers will solve nothing.
UB2020, now a part of NYSUNY2020, promises to expand the university and will move the medical campus downtown and fund building projects on all of UB's campuses. The plan is to draw thousands of students to the university.
What I fear is the lack of parking.
If 29,000 students, combined with almost 10,000 faculty and staff members, cannot park on this campus now, what will happen as the school expands? Nowhere in the ambitious and positive UB2020 plan is the parking situation mentioned.
I know I speak for every commuter when I say that this needs to change. UB needs to set aside time and funds to expand its parking along with building expansions. You simply cannot have one without the other.
Why not take a page out of the Veteran's Administration Hospital's book that's located across from South Campus? The amount of parking they had for their patients and staff was not sufficient, so they are in the process of building a parking ramp on their grounds. UB should look to build a parking ramp or two. If destroying natural space is a concern, plans can be made to create structures underground.
Another potential compromise would be letting students park in some of the faculty lots. I can't tell you how many times I've driven by the lot directly outside of the Student Union or Hochstetter A and have seen empty spots just waiting to be filled. While most lots are student and faculty friendly, maybe if all were shared or shared earlier in the day, students wouldn't have to park what seems like miles away, sprint to class, and deal with consequences of being late because of something that was likely out of their control.
Long story short, what used to simply be an annoyance in past years is quickly becoming a huge problem for students. Something needs to be done. I know my portfolio of horror stories will only grow larger as the year goes on and I'd love to hear from all of you regarding what you've experienced and what you think can be done about it.
If you ever have the misfortune to experience a small, but loud, blonde girl screaming at you in one of the parking lots, I apologize. I welcome you to scream back.
Email: rebecca.bratek@ubspectrum.com
