It is a widely accepted truth that finding parking at SXU’s Chicago campus is becoming more of a challenge than ever because of the larger incoming class sizes. Freshman enrollment hit an all-time high this year as student opinion of the parking available to our commuter-centric student body hit an all-time low. The overwhelmingly negative view of SXU parking was summed up by commuter student, Sam Szykowny, who bluntly said, “It sucks!”
Many students said that finding parking at the Chicago campus was impossible. When asked about the consequences of parking at SXU, students replied that they were late to class countless times, had fought over parking and their cars had received property damage. Students attributed the property damage to the fact that parking spots are very small. So small that not hitting a car while entering and exiting their vehicle was difficult.
So are there enough parking spots for the SXU commuters? Jack Touhy, Police Chief and Director of Public Safety, certainly thinks so. In total there are 3,500 parking permits available for sale, however only around 1,900 have been sold this year. The total number of spots available for student use is 1,776. Although more permits are sold than the amount of parking spots available, it is important to note that not everyone with a parking pass is on-campus at one given time.
SXU parking has never reached full capacity, and even if SXU were to reach capacity in terms of parking, “overflow parking is available at lot 14 with a shuttle service back to back to the Chicago campus,” said Touhy.
Students also complained about the long distances from the parking lots to the Warde Academic Building. When students are forced to park in lot 14, the lot by the Pulaski Center, they complained about a lack of shuttle buses. As Jasmine Steele, a junior commuter, put it, “When I park by the Pulaski Center I have to walk because there is never a shuttle bus there.”
Those walks will get harder because of the approaching snow season, but that’s not the only worry the snow brings to students. Students felt that parking lots are not properly plowed; snow is pushed and piled on existing spots instead of on the grass. According to students, water is also an issue; it does not properly drain from the parking lots, thereby eliminating a substantial portion of spots. Commuters claim this makes it even harder to find parking.
When students heard that not once had the parking at SXU been full, they were surprised. Steele said she had, on multiple occasions, come to school 45 minutes early and still been late to class because she could not find parking. However, many students also admitted to not looking for parking in lot 14 or in the corners of lot 7, the lot behind McCarthy Hall.
Students identified the busiest time of day as 8am to 2pm. Only then do they complain about not finding parking. Because faculty and staff are considered commuters from a parking standpoint, they share the parking and the cost of commuter passes with students. Many of them are also believers in the parking myth. Nevertheless, Touhy discards that sentiment when asked if there is enough parking at SXU by responding, “Yes, however depending on the day and time there might not be convenient parking, but there is parking.”
It was hard for students to think of a place to expand the parking except for the building of a multi-level parking garage. Most students liked the idea of having a shuttle bus solely devoted to lot 14.
Students can be at ease though because, according to Touhy, “…There is fluid discussion taking place with many University departments and stakeholders as well as a constant review of space allocation and alternate approaches.”
David Rodriguez
News Editor
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