NO PARKING ZONE

by Becky Rickard

Most students are excited to start school again. New books, new faces in classes and new instructors. However, the emotions that fuel the excitement can be transferred into anger as the students desperately look for parking spaces.

Parking seems problematic during the first week of the new semester. Some students believe parking is difficult because students actually go to classes the first week of class and those who tend to drop out of school altogether wait until after the first few weeks are over.

Bob Roessler, chief of police at UM-St. Louis, assigned officers to direct traffic and answer questions Monday through Thursday of last week.

"We did not have any problems, better than expected," stated Roessler. "There were 300 open spaces available in a parking lot along West Campus Drive.

John Russell, senior history major, disagrees. Russell has attended UM-St. Louis for seven years and says parking is a huge problem again this year.

"This is the worst I've seen it. It was like driving downtown," Russell said.

The parking problem was amplified at the Honors College when unforeseen delays in the resealing of the parking lot caused contractors to begin work on the first day of classes.

When Lisa Grubbs, director of Residential Life, heard of the students' dissatisfaction, she said she did not feel sorry for them.

"We've been busting our asses. Just because they can't pull up to the door, they'll complain," Grubbs replied.

Freshman, Sam Hand, applauds the new parking lot.

"I think the new lot is great. Before we had to park in the circle drive. It makes it a lot easier to get to your room," Hand stated.

Tim Layton, senior English major, had no problem finding parking spaces because most of his classes began at 8 a.m. However, he did run into trouble when a UM-St. Louis officer stopped him in garage D Thursday morning. The stop created a traffic jam while Layton, who was not wearing a seat belt at the time, was informed of the new seat belt laws by the officer.

"It just seemed like a waste of time. People don't have time to be lectured by an UM-St. Louis cop, a glorified security guard," Layton said.

There are 5000 parking spaces at UM-St. Louis. There are close to 16,000 students who attend the university.

Julie Wachter, a senior communications major, feels that there is too much faculty parking, especially surrounding the heart of North campus.

"I parked illegally today. I got here on time and knew that if I looked for a parking space, I'd be at least 10 minutes late for class, so I parked in a faculty space," Wachter said.

Police officers will no longer be directing traffic and students may resume fighting for one of the 5000 parking spaces that are closer to their classes this week.