Parking availability in Neptune Hall’s Lot D and towing of illegally parked cars was discussed at Thursday’s meeting of the NIU Campus Parking Committee.

The committee solicited opinions from nine Neptune residents who attended the meeting.

Committee Chairman Robert Bornhuetter, an NIU art professor, said one possibility the committee was considering is changing Lot D into a faculty lot. He noted some faculty have trouble finding a place to park so they can get to their classes on time.

Margaret Phillips, area coordinator for Neptune and Gilbert residence halls, summarized the situation at Neptune.

Phillips said 800 of the 1,200 Neptune residents have their own cars. She said that less than 20 percent of Neptune’s residents are freshmen, with many over-21 and graduate students.

The issue of how many stickers are issued for parking exclusively in Neptune’s Lot D was also discussed. There are 78 painted parking spaces in Lot D.

Phillips and committee members noted that the Lot D sticker amounts to a “hunting license” for the Neptune resident. Neptune residents must compete for a space in the parking lot. Phillips said she knew of students who watched the lot for the chance to get a parking space.

Jeff Sulus, vice president of Neptune’s Residence Hall Council, said parking at Neptune makes it easier for him to carry his military equipment for drilling with the national guard.

esponsibility for issuing Lot D stickers is handled by the residence hall coordinator’s office. Phillips said 400 Lot D stickers were issued this year.

In other business, the committee approved a five-year plan of parking projects and discussed the problems with NIU’s towing policy.