Every year, student complaints about Auburn are similar.
The food on campus should be better; there should be a fall break; and Scantron forms should be free.
But, perhaps, the biggest complaint year-in and year-out about Auburn's campus is the lack of parking available to students.
Parking Services is trying to alleviate some of these complaints.
Parking Services is working on projects in addition to the Proximate C parking designations.
One is a ride-share program for commuting students in places like Columbus, Ga. and Alexander City. This program would make it easier for students to find people to ride to class with.
A second program in the works is a smartphone application that would show students how much space is available in each parking lot.
However, Parking Manager Don Andrae admitted that Auburn's parking situation is not perfect.
"I wish that I had a magic wand that I could wave and a deck would appear, but I do not," Andrae said. "I do care about students and have done everything that I can to protect the parking they have and try to make it."
Beginning this fall, parking services is modifying parking on campus with the new parking designation, Proximity-C Zone parking.
PC parking passes will be given out through a lottery with 1,700 students receiving a PC pass.
As of July 20, 2,500 students entered the lottery for a PC pass.
The PC parking lots will be located at the Coliseum, the Auburn Arena, the lot across from Momma Goldberg's on Magnolia Avenue, and a small lot behind the public safety office.
These parking lots have 1,500 spaces, and students with a PC pass will be guaranteed a parking spot in one of these lots.
Students who do not win the lottery will still be able to park in the West lot and the intramural fields. The Tiger Transit services these parking lots as well.
This new parking system has been in the works for nearly a year.
"I have been working hard over the last 11 months to see what can be done to fix the parking situation that we are in," Andrae said.
"The ultimate answer is to build more parking, but even if that was started today we would not see anything for at least two to three years."
Andrae visited 80 other college campuses to see how their parking was structured.
"What we're trying is nothing new," Andrae said. "The majority of (schools) do a lottery for parking spaces. Their parking is no different from Auburn in the fact that there is none."
Andrae believes the new system will eliminate some of the congestion on Donahue Drive and eliminate students circling parking lots searching for spaces.
The decision to move to this new parking system was not impulsive. Parking Services held two open forums during the Spring semester to discuss the new parking system. A total of four students attended the forums.
The Student Government Association was also involved in the decision.
"We thoroughly analyzed and debated the proposal and, in the end, the resolution in support of the Proximate C-Zone parking plan was passed unanimously after senators saw its traffic efficiency," said SGA President Owen Parrish.
Even if the new PC designation was a surprise to many, students believe the new parking structure will work.
"It was ridiculous before because I had a C Zone pass and you honestly had to get to class about an hour before to even think about getting a spot," said Devery Ernest, junior in accounting. "Being guaranteed a spot would make parking much easier."
Parrish also predicts that the new system will benefit students.
"The new system will be successful," Parrish said. "It is a big change, but our system of on campus parking was broken and needed serious revision."
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