I opened a piece of mail from the university last week and the room went black. I was so angry my chin started to quiver and I began to pace the kitchen in quick, heavy steps. The source of my fury was a response letter from the NIU Parking Division.

Here’s what I wrote on a Parking Division appeal form, “On 9-7-88, I purchased an NIU parking permit in the amount of $30. I was assigned a brown sticker and was told which lot was available for students with the brown sticker. When I arrived at this ‘brown lot’ at 9:40 a.m. on 9-9-88, I discovered that there were no available parking spaces. By this time, it was nearly 9:46 a.m. and because I have a 10:00 a.m. class in Reavis Hall, my options for finding a non-stickered parking space were very limited. I paid for a parking space which the university did not provide.”

There’s no way of preparing you for the response that was written on the returned appeal. At the bottom of the page, next to the word “Denied” there was a large “X”. Further right on the form is a small box, and here’s the comment that was written in the box, “If parking is limited for brown lots check the bus schedule and take the bus.” Can you believe it!? I didn’t pay 30 bucks for a parking sticker so I could take the *#!+ bus.

I realize I am not the only student who cannot depend on the bus to cater to her schedule. That’s why I kept my composure when the worker at the parking office handed me my brown sticker and pointed to the horizon where the brown lot is located. I was cool. But, “If parking is limited for brown lots check the bus schedule and take the bus.” Arggh!!!

All of the options I’ve considered since that correspondence have the same predictable outcome; humiliation, handcuffs and another bill from the university.

I would be delighted to hear some suggestions on how to deal with the NIU Parking Division. I’ve tried tact and diplomacy, but the office isn’t interested in anything they can’t cash or count.

Help!! I’ll consider all legal suggestions.

Barb Ickes