Council rejects permit proposal

editorial cartoon by Natalie Fowle
editorial cartoon by Natalie Fowle

Continued increases in the University of La Verne’s population have raised concerns with parking issues among the school’s faculty, staff, students and even visitors. The growth has resulted in so many frustrations with the lack of on-campus parking, that the Department of Campus Safety and Transportation opted to resolve the matter by proposing a University parking system.

John Lentz, director of the department, said he and Brian Worley, director of facilities management, presented the idea to the University Council last week. Lentz said that the original proposal called for the implementation of a student permit system, by which all students of the University would be required to pay a fee of $10 per semester for the permit, while faculty, staff and visitors were allowed to park on campus free of charge. The proposal also mentioned that, with the new system, there would be no guaranteed parking areas — even for those who had purchased and used the permits.

Because the proposal was simply a presentation to University administrators as a whole, it was subject to rejection, criticism and/or revision. Lentz said that immediately after his presentation of the idea, reactions and opinions stirred among the Council members present. For some, the entire proposal seemed absurd, as several attendants expressed that, if a permit system is enforced, all ULV affiliates (including students, faculty and staff) should be required to pay for permits. Others argued that a fee should not be required at all if this system was implemented in the first place.

On behalf of the Campus Times editorial board, we would like to express gratitude to the University Council, as a whole, for considering the needs and concerns of the students in making its decisions about the parking system. It is satisfying to be reassured that the administrators are advocates of fairness and equality across campus.

It is not difficult to understand that there is an evident parking problem at this University. After all, sometimes it takes a few rounds around the block to find a parking space — and perhaps even more rounds to find a “good” one. For this reason, had the proposed parking permit system been approved by the Council, there would still be no logical resolution to the problem.

In fact, the system would probably make commuters more upset and frustrated with the lack of parking availability at ULV. And even if these commuters did end up paying for permission to park, there would be no guarantee that the only space left for them in which to park would be on the dirt lot behind the AAIC building.

Realistically, as long as the University population continues to grow, and the ratio of commuters progressively increases, concerns with parking and space availability at ULV will continue to exist. On behalf of the editorial board, we suggests that administrators of this instituion continue to look at alternatives or solutions to the matter. Students, as well, should be part of this decision process; perhaps holding an open forum for students and University officials would be a reasonable start.

But for the time being, we thank the University Council and the people who considered students’ needs in their arguments to the permit system. It is always good to know that the same people who educate and guide students are also concerned with them as people as well.’

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Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.

Natalie Fowle, Photography Editor
Natalie Fowle

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