The start of the school year brings an increased number of students and various construction projects, that change the layout of campus. As a result, members of the Mississippi State University community argue the parking options could be improved.
Jeremiah Dumas, Director of Parking, Transit and Sustainability, said there are more than enough parking options for the student body.
“We have multiple parking options. Parking is tightly managed and we do not see 100 percent utilization of spaces across the campus. Some areas are in higher demand, but there are always ample spaces at the Coliseum,” Dumas said. “With ample parking at the Coliseum and a direct connection to the Central Transit loop, there are efficient options for people who might not be able to get to their zone early enough to find a space without riding around.”
Dumas said there are full-priced commuter and staff areas available, as well as half-priced park-and-ride areas. There is also a free parking option at the Sportsplex.
Some students wonder with the numerous ongoing projects on campus, if more parking arrangements will be coming soon.
Dumas said there are no immediate plans to produce additional parking, but that may be an option in the future.
“We will continue to evaluate the demand and our capacity and makes those decisions based on future growth trends,” Dumas said.
Jasmine Bogard, junior communication major and commuter student, said she is not satisfied by the parking provided at MSU.
“There are completely not enough spots. By the time you’re done parking, you realize you’ve wasted so much time just looking for somewhere to park,” Bogard said. “South Zones and East Zones desperately need improved parking.”
While Bogard feels there should be better parking options, she does approve of MSU’s zoning regulations.
“In a sense, the requirement to park in your own zone is very helpful. Not everyone can park in a certain area at once,” Bogard said.
Iesha Thomas, a senior Information Assistant at Hathorn, said the limited parking situation is one that continues to worsen every year.
“The zones are overcrowded and it is all getting very ridiculous. With both commuter students and campus residents it’s just so hard to find a spot,” Thomas said. “if they can spend billions of dollars on the stadium, then they can spend some money to expand parking.”
Thomas said that she has to get to campus much earlier than her classes to ensure she can get a spot and get to class.
“At first I would get to campus half an hour early before my class. If the class was at 9 a.m. then I would get here at 8:30. Then it got so bad I had start getting here a whole hour earlier.” she said.
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Opinions on parking spark discussions
Nia Wilson
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September 12, 2014
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