With parking lots full to bursting and 30-minute walks from the overflow area becoming more common, students are interested in learning why some of their peers receive faculty-parking passes enabling them to park closer to buildings.

The students who receive these passes typically serve on boards, committees and organizations at Sacramento State such as Associated Students Incorporated (ASI) or the State Hornet newspaper.

With enrollment growing each year at Sac State, parking spaces are becoming scarcer, a faculty/staff pass provides convenience and availability.

“The passes have a dramatic impact on our ability to service the students,” Art Pimental, President of ASI said. “Students might not be aware of all the responsibilities of the Board of Directors,?having the passes helps us make sure we can attend important meetings dealing with student issues on time.”

Carrie Chase, freshman, organizational communications, disagrees “it puts other students at a disadvantage,” while adding, “aren?t they (ASI) supposed to be helping us? How are they going to represent us concerning parking problems if they don?t have the problem themselves?”

Heather Smith, senior, communications studies thinks neither area is worth the trouble to park in. “I just think parking passes are too expensive considering you?re not even guaranteed a spot,” she said.

Pimental agrees. “To tell you the truth, I don”t think it matters if you have a faculty pass or not this semester, parking is so out of control,” he said.