Webster should commit all available parking to university students

0
378

There is simply no issue on campus bigger than parking. We debate it ad nauseum on campus and in The Journal.

But due to the poor decisions of Webster University and Public Safety, the issue has reared its head again. The university allows Nerinx Hall students to pay for parking on Webster’s lots, limiting spaces for Webster students.

It would be one thing if Webster had a plethora of available parking, but that is clearly not the case.

The amount of non-garage parking becomes particularly difficult to acquire during the afternoon, and that’s without high school students filling the few empty remaining spaces.

Add in high school students, who are obviously parked during the busiest class hours of the day, and there is virtually no non-garage parking available for college students. And for what?

The Journal understands the desire of the university to pick up dollars wherever possible. But there is no reason for them to betray the students who shell out upwards of $20,000 a year in tuition in favor of some teenagers who otherwise do not contribute anything to the university.

On any campus with a majority of commuter students, parking is bound to be a hot-button topic. With that in mind, one would think Webster’s administration and Public Safety would do whatever possible to create the best experience for their students when coming to class.

Instead, commuter students find themselves upstaged by high school kids, left with nowhere but the roof of the garage to park, where they will begin their 10-minute trek to class.

Quite frankly, if Webster is trying to reach out to the high school, The Journal would rather the administration outfit Nerinx students in free Gorlok apparel from the book store and give them a free meal plan. That ought to make Nerinx a reliable Webster pipeline. Just don’t touch the parking lot.

The Journal doesn’t want to discourage Webster from receiving revenue from outside sources – the more that comes from sources other than the student body, the better – but would like to see a bit more loyalty and preferential treatment over high schoolers unaffiliated with the university.

Until there is ample parking available for all involved, that’s only the most logical policy.

Share this post

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail
+ posts