Parking numbers promise woes

Our new SGA president is either terribly under-informed or actively disingenuous.

In his EXTRA, dated April 18, 2012, he claims the proposed 2012-13 parking changes will ensure that every AU student will be "guaranteed" a place to park.

Here are some facts straight from Don Andrae, manager of Parking Services (confirmed by phone April 18, 2012): Active C-zone permits currently distributed by Parking Services: approximately 11,000. Capacity of the 3 "central campus lots" which will convert to "Proximate C": 1,500. Capacity of all remaining C-zone areas, including three remote lots (West Thach, Veterinary Sciences, Intramural Fields), and various roadway strips: 1,400. Initial proposed number of Proximate C-zone tags to be granted by random drawing: 1,700.

Let's assume that after Parking Services surveys the initial impact, they raise the number of PC permits to: 2,000. So, if we want to do a little math to measure our collective parking misery, now and later: current ratio of C-zone parkers to all C-zone spaces: 11,000/2,900 = 3.79:1. Ratio of remaining C-zone parkers who will fight for space after 2,000 PC permits have been issued: 9,000/1,400 = 6.43:1 (a 70 percent increase).

We all understand that not all AU students are on campus attempting to park at the same time. Yet the simple math above means one thing: When Parrish tells us that all these changes will make it better for all AU students, he is quite wrong. Further, Don Andrae estimates the earliest that AU can furnish additional C-zone spaces is "mid-2015."

If you must commute and care about getting to your classes on time, start mobilizing, talk to your SGA and GSC senators and don't let this plan happen without a fight.

Michael Pukish

graduate student, electrical and computer engineering