I speak to you as a student with great concern about decisions being made by university administrators which will effect all of us. I speak of the parking crisis. The Ad Hoc Parking Committee is making short-term decisions for a problem which needs long-term solutions. Recent discussions on closing many lots currently open to orange-sticker residents are frightening. Anyone who has owned a car or driven with a friend can empathize with the desperate need for more parking—especially for residents in the halls. To make parking more inconvenient for residents is unreasonable.

I have heard repeated reports of talk of eliminating lots near Neptune and Lincoln halls. Further reports are that the Parking Committee says it’s okay to let Gilbert and Neptune residents walk a quarter-mile to park near Grant North. I’ve also heard the Parking Committee said, “Students just park their cars for weeks at a time; they don’t need to move them.” Such statements should be researched with students to best represent their interests. The RHA has not received research of that nature to date.

As Vice President of Administration for the Residence Hall Association, I am forced to deal with reams of bureacratic red tape in order to get any information at all. In order to get answers, I have attempted to deal directly with this committee. I have failed. This is why I appeal to the administration to sit down with interested groups with legitimate suggestions and discuss alternatives.

Why hasn’t serious consideration been given to building a parking garage? Why, when it has been mentioned, does the university respond by simply saying it will cost too much to build and will raise costs too high? I propose that utilization of such a facility could generate revenue. Why couldn’t a parking garage be opened with stickers designated for students and faculty who are here for only part of the day? Then this facility could be used for hourly-pay spaces for sport and social functions. As a revenue-generating facility, this lot could pay for itself.

It is interesting to note the Parking Committee projects that 24.68 percent of its anticipated income for next year will be from parking fines. In hard numbers that comes to $195,000. It’s a good guess, seeing as it was given to them by Bob Albanese, the university comptroller, who is in charge of keeping track of the money flow for the university. I feel the administration doesn’t want to control the parking problem because the university has become dependent upon the income from parking fines.

I am concerned that in its haste to create spaces for faculty, the university is not taking into consideration the students, who constitute the largest group needing parking. Consideration for students has been so minimal.

The administration is willing to allow Neptune residents—who are primarily female—to walk to their cars. This makes me wonder whether their claims of support for combatting sexual assault are sincere.

I realize the factual data in this letter is severely limited. This is because I cannot get the information, though I have asked repeatedly. This is the real reason for my letter. I represent some 8,000 students, and I feel they at least deserve input on this issue. The student appointee(s) to the Ad Hoc Committee has (have) not adequately represented the students’ needs. We have valid suggestions—carefully planned—and would like to voice them with the proper people. I beg of the students of NIU, please ask for more input.

The RHA is awaiting a response from the Ad Hoc Committee.

Rob Arrington

Vice Pres. of Administration

Residence Hall Association