Putting to action a problem with parking

This letter is in reply to Denton Yocum’s letter about the astronomically horrendous parking situation here at NIU.

First off Denton, let me just wish you luck, but tell you that as far as the parking situation, things are just getting worse. Nobody seems to care and nothing is going to be done – so get used to it.

This is my third (and hopefully last) year commuting to NIU, and it is safe to say Parking Services knows my name “very well.” Like you, I also commute about 35 miles each way every day (from West Chicago), albeit with a 13-year-old Camaro.

Like you, I am disgusted with the situation and the “clear as daylight” issues that continue to compound and worsen, while gas rises to $3 a gallon, and Parking Services relinquishes yellow commuter lots, yet raises the cost of permits.

My first day of school here, I couldn’t find parking after nearly an hour and a half of searching the garage and various lots several times. On my way out, I saw yellow sticker commuters (presumably who had already paid the $40-$62 for their tag) paying an additional $5 to park in the visitor lots (i.e. “GOUGING”, because Parking Services reaps this extra money as well).

I shook my head in disgust, and headed home that first day, without attending one class. To the commuters who read this and have paid to park in visitor parking – you are better off spending that $5 in gas to turn around and come home rather than give Parking Services another dime of your money.

My recent two weeks here, I have found myself parking illegally at bars and at McDonald’s.

I have griped via personal visits and through e-mail.

I have written professional letters, e-mails and suggestions to Parking Services that go unanswered. The same goes for my phone calls to higher-ups.

Last fall, I wrote a letter similar to this to the Star, where I received several e-mails from students and even some professors who were interested in putting together some kind of “petition” like you suggested. But when the time came and I wanted to get cracking, none of my e-mails were answered back and that idea flew out the window.

As much as I’d like to, I cannot be a one-man “Charles Bronson” or “Rambo” with the ludicrous parking situation here. But it just seems nobody else cares.

After talking with him Aug. 24, the head of NIU judicial services asked me to write one last professional letter and my suggestions would be personally forwarded to the head of Parking Services.

To conclude, I just wanted to reaffirm the fact Parking Services doesn’t care about anything more than making as much money as they can (selling 4,000 parking tags for only 2,000 available spots), and nothing is going to change that.

I, too, am also open to try the petition again, so any commuters as disgusted as I am can look my name up via NIU e-mail and we can go from there.

Joseph Paul Anthony Hund,

Senior, Communication

Studies