The hottest topic on the Randolph-Macon College (RMC) campus right now is undoubtedly parking. While this has been a qualm of students and faculty for years, it is especially apparent now that RMC has admitted a freshman class of 600+ new students. The accessibility of parking on campus has now become nearly impossible for many students and staff with vehicles.
The college has been aware of this issue in the past but only offered the solution of sending everyone to park in the Old Tennis Courts lot. While inconvenient, this used to be a valid solution as there was always typically half of the lot empty. Now, this lot, and every other lot on campus, is full at any given time. Over half of a student survey declared that it is extremely difficult for them to find legal parking during the week, when it is arguably most important to find efficient parking.
The college has attempted to adjust the parking to accommodate for the incoming class, including marking the Irby/Starr lots to only upperclassmen and sending those freshmen to park in the Old Tennis Courts. However, when asked if they are enforcing these regulations, Campus Safety told an upperclassman student that they are not.
There have been many accounts of Campus Safety being inconsiderate and/or rude to students regarding parking or questions. “Certain officers are very rude when interacting with students regarding parking,” stated an RMC student. Another student claimed that they were “talked down to and disregarded” when announcing their concern with freshmen parking in upperclassmen spots. Is this how our safety officers should be communicating with concerned, paying students?
The college has also stated that they have arranged for parking in the Ashland Town Center lot from 7AM-5:30PM every weekday. While only a two-minute drive from campus, this adds a 10-to-15-minute walk for students and faculty that have been left no other choice. This is especially challenging for commuters, that already face daily challenges in making it to class on time. “I have to schedule 20-30 minutes alone for finding parking prior to class,” stated a commuter student.
Another major issue within the parking crisis is that of ticketing. There is nothing worse than coming out to your car and finding a bright yellow ticket on the windshield. However, this has become a frequent reality for many RMC students as 40% of a student survey shared that they have been ticketed by Campus Safety and/or Ashland Police Department. On average, students are spending $40 per ticket, with total costs up to $150, according to a student survey. So, students are paying to register a vehicle on campus, not being provided with efficient parking spaces for student/faculty body, and then charged additional money for not parking according to the school’s guidelines. What other choice do we have?
Many students think that freshmen vehicle privileges should be limited. For example, they should be up charged or should no longer be allowed to have cars on campus. However, this may deter students from the college as it is a perk that other institutions do not offer.
While the expansion of the student body may be beneficial for RMC in the long run, it is clear that necessary preparation has not been done to account for the expansion.
