Students who go to college often have the dream of living on campus for the away-from-home experience. Some people, however, do not have the financial means to do so, so they opt to live elsewhere and commute to the college. What makes this frustrating at SUNY Oswego is the challenge of commuter parking.

Upon arriving on campus around 9:15 a.m., I find myself sweating over finding a parking spot. I was disappointed, as every slot in C-8 East and C-8 West was filled. This is an issue because some students, myself included, do not have classes until 10:20 a.m. but must get on campus by 9 a.m. at the latest to find just one parking spot. This may be considered a benefit, as it gives students more time on campus to complete various tasks, but as someone who lives twenty minutes away from campus and commutes twice a day, it is not in my best interest to be on campus earlier than necessary — especially when I have morning responsibilities at my house to accomplish first.

It is also unsafe. I do not have enough fingers to count how many times someone has almost T-boned me because they were rushing to find limited parking. Although this may be a result of poor driving habits, the lack of parking contributes to the problem because students are worried about parking close enough to their buildings — but again, finding parking after 9 a.m. is almost impossible, so the lots are unsafe as students begin to anxiously compete.

It may be argued that commuter lots C-32 and C-15 are available, but neither are efficient for commuters because most of us try driving to campus when we have classes or other activities, not to be there excessively early. Lot C-32 is near the main entrance to the college and always has availability, but it takes twenty minutes to walk to the Marano Campus Center if I park there. Lot C-15 is small and out of the way, so it is unlikely that many commuters will park there, either.

The situation is so bad, with students unwilling to park outside of lots C-8 East and West for the sake of time, that they have taken to parking on the ends of the aisles (on the brick markers that outline the roadway, separating it from parking aisles). Not only is this unsafe, as it lessens the space students have to drive and maneuver, but it is also against the rules, risking a ticket by the campus police. However, if most of your classes are in Marano (like mine) and there are no open spaces, the only choice you have is to park on the bricks. Again, it is not feasible for commuters to use lots C-32 and C-15.

It seems as if resident and employee lots are not packed in the mornings, so I believe it would be beneficial to allow commuters to park there without repercussions so they, too, can get their money’s worth while attending SUNY Oswego. Why are we paying for parking permits when good, safe parking is not always available?

Photo by:  Emma Deloff