Associated Students, Inc. has approved a resolution that would make more parking available to students.

ASI Director of Undeclared Zachary Donohue authored the proposal, calling for the space behind the football field to be converted into more student parking.

“It?s used for the first two weeks of school, so I would assume they could do the same for the whole year,” Donohue said. “I don?t see a problem with it at all.”

The area holds approximately 150 spots and is used for athletic activities, where vendors can set up and sell food and school-related items.

“It?s used as a multi-purpose area for the football, track and other activities,” Manager of University Transportation and Parking Nancy Fox said. “It?s not normally used for parking.”

Fox said the parking is only allowed during the first two weeks of school because of the high volume of students during the first few weeks of each semester.

“Students are meeting with professors, getting books at the book store, seeing counselors and just trying to get situated,” Fox said. “After those first two weeks, we don?t have that kind of impact on parking.”

But Donohue said he has received numerous complaints from students being late to class, and having to walk up to 15 minutes to class throughout the entire semester.

“Students have told me that they waste a lot of gas driving around trying to find parking spots,” Donohue said. “Students are just tired of the hassle involved with trying to find a place to park everyday.”

“Students pay for a parking permit, but it doesn?t guarantee them a spot,” he added.

With the addition of the new 1,000-space parking structure in August, Fox believes the parking problem will be solved.

“I doubt that the spaces will be needed after the structure is finished,” Fox said. “There will be plenty of spaces available once it?s done.”

Donohue thinks the structure will help, but won?t solve the parking problem completely. He said he plans to suggest that the structure be a student-only parking lot.

“We?ll need more,” Donohue said. “There are more and more students coming here, and we?re going to need more spaces.”

Fox agrees that as enrollment increases, more spots would be necessary. However, she feels that a decision to convert the space now would be premature.

“I think we should let the stadium be the stadium, and let the regular activities held there stay there,” Fox said. “I think the additional parking is a good idea for short term parking, just because of the impact of so many students those first weeks.”

“The administration has to also judge the number of faculty and enrollment, and plan parking based on those figures,” Fox said. “If there is the demand, of course, we?ll try and make as much space available as we can.”

Donohue said the resolution will be presented to University Transportation and Parking Services within the next week, and is hopeful that his proposal will be accepted.

“This was approved by the board, and we speak for the people of the school, so I don?t think they can really ignore the problem students have with parking,” Donohue said.

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