University faces backlash due to parking crisis on campus

 By: Narda Sigala

KENNESAW, Ga. – During the first week of classes at Kennesaw State University, the college has been facing backlash from students who have been having trouble with the parking both at student lots and the parking decks.

         A petition titled “Petition Kennesaw State University to take immediate action to resolve parking issues” was created by JT Brogan in the first week of classes. The link to this petition was shared to many students group chats and among campus for students to sign and will be sent to officials of KSU. Over the first week, the petition received almost 1,400 signatures from students who felt passionate about this issue. Many of the comments on the petition state issues like paying more expensive pricing for spots not available, long lines to parking decks, overflow lots being full, and the growing number of students with no match in increase in parking spots.

         Carson Podell, a student at KSU since 2020, majoring in Exercise Science said, “It is always hectic, but this year it’s worse, there are not enough students for the number of spots”, when questioned on his experience during the first week at the Central deck at KSU.

         With the growing number of students attending KSU for this fall semester, many students like Carson point out that the amount of parking spaces have remained the same. In 2020 and 2021, KSU hit record numbers of enrolled students at 41,000 and now currently at 43,000. Over the years, regardless of growing student enrollment numbers, the parking space number stays around 14,000 available spaces, with KSU stating that this is due to students being on and off campus throughout the week for classes and other activities.

            Cyrus Truitt, a senior undergraduate who has been attending KSU since 2018 said “As someone who lives on an apartment on campus, it’s wild for it to take me 15 or more minutes from the moment I get to the West deck to actually get in to find a spot or have to wait for somebody to leave and get their spot, I pay too much for that,” when interviewed about his on-campus experience with parking.

         Much like Cyrus, many of the students have brought up rise in prices of parking passes over the years. In 2020, parking permits were about $35 for one semester, with the price being about $80 for both fall and spring semesters. This school year parking passes were priced about $95 for one semester and $190 for both fall and spring semesters. In an interview, Aiden Ali brought up that as students, “It just doesn’t make sense for us to pay a lot for a parking pass and separate fees for parking in tuition”. This is due to students finding a parking fee for $58 included in tuition. KSU has said that this fee goes to the pay for repair and maintenance to the parking decks and lots.

                 Students want to see a decrease in parking permit prices and an availability of parking passes to be increased. The school has options to help students by limiting residential parking passes, increasing spaces available for commuter students, decreasing the number of parking passes available to be sold to ensure that spaces are available when they are needed. Students hope to see a change in the upcoming future semesters and have KSU address the situation for future and current students.