As the semester kicks off, Otterbein360 is back to bring you coverage of campus events and issues relevant to student life. Make sure to check out our table at First Friday on August 29th in the Campus Center.
Otterbein360 will be publishing a series of editorials this semester about matters that impact the Otterbein community. Editorial content represents the general opinion of the Otterbein360 staff.
It goes without saying that parking on campus at Otterbein can be a challenge. Students and faculty alike struggle to find parking in the locations designated by their parking passes. Even though Otterbein is a small campus, it is still inconvenient for students who are moving themselves in for the school year or bringing back groceries to park on the outskirts of the Campus Center parking lots. Commuters, graduate students, and faculty are also impacted by the limited parking availability.
Furthermore, having a vehicle on campus is expensive compared to other universities of Otterbein's size, such as Denison University and Ohio Dominican University,
Full time student parking passes cost $140 for the academic year. Full time commuting and graduate students pay $100 to park for the entire academic year. Part time students, continuing students, and graduate students have the option to purchase a permit for limited daytime parking for $60. Both Denison and Ohio Dominican charge $100 a year.
Despite this problem, full-time, first year students are allowed to have cars on campus.
Without the prospect of adding additional parking to campus, Otterbein's first-year car policy needs reform. While allowing first-year students to have cars on campus is appealing to prospective students inadequate parking defeats the purpose.
Otterbein's parking problem impacts commuting students as well.
Sophomore Music Education major Sophia Fleshman, a commuting student, said parking has been a challenge. "I make sure to get to school an hour early in order to get a spot for the day," said Fleshman.
There are two ways the university could improve the parking policy.
Prohibit first year students from having a car on campus. Parking permit sales would decrease, but parking would be more accessible to the students commuting or living on campus. Likewise, without access to a car on campus first-year students will be less likely to go home on the weekends and therefore connect more with other students and become more involved in campus life. First year full-time commuting students should still have the option to purchase parking passes.
Allow juniors to live off campus. If juniors had the option to live in the housing around the university rather than on campus, there would be fewer vehicles registered and therefore more available parking spots.
What do you think about Otterbein's parking policy? Let us know in the comments below.
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