In September of last year, The Montclarion published an op-ed regarding the glaring state of the campus parking situation. We are unhappy to report that not only has the situation not improved since then, but has undoubtedly worsened in light of recent developments.
Over the past three years, Montclair State University has made over a million dollars on parking tickets alone, mostly from ticketing students who, in fact, paid for the parking permits. All of this money is conveniently funneled back into the parking services budget.
Apparently, this incredible sum does not cover the theoretical cost of the security cameras essential to CarParc Diem. This issue has been raised many times by students, especially in the wake of the parking ticket uproar. For the most popular suburban terrain on campus, all CarParc Diem has to offer in terms of safety is a speedometer, and that’s not a preventative measure.
The public reaction to this news was immediate and outraged, as it should be. Any institution making so much room for punitive measures, or “educating to control the inventory of spaces”, deserves to be criticized accordingly. Also, parking tickets are clearly not a deterrent, as many people admit to knowing they shouldn’t park in one place, but do so out of immediate necessity anyway.
Montclair State parking lots are assigned to certain groups, such as commuters, visitors, residents, and faculty, but some geographic groupings just don’t make sense. CarParc Diem, the largest commuter-only parking option, is infamously located right in front of much of the halls of residence.
A cartoon from a 1960 issue of Montclarion proves that little has changed in 6 decades. Digital Commons | The Montclairon
Additionally, the issue of parking at Montclair State has haunted the school for over 60 years. the Edition of March 23, 1960 of The Montclarion features a cartoon of a crane piling cars on top of each other as two men look on saying, “Well I’m glad to see they’ve finally done something about the parking problem students.” At this rate, students might actually be happy with this solution; at least it would show some degree of effort or concern on the part of the school.
Later that same year, in the November 23, 1960 edition, a satirical column listed the qualifications, hardships, and potential neuroses of the typical Montclair State commuter at the time the suburban lands were built. for the first time. As columnist Patrick Clark says, “Some students face fines that could pay their tuition.” Sound familiar?
It would be funny if these were just archival relics, but they’re both shockingly relevant. From one perspective, Montclair State has been struggling with student parking for longer than it took to build the Great Pyramid of Giza.
During the 23-year tenure of former Montclair State President Susan A. Cole, college enrollment grown up from 12,000 to 21,000, fueling a huge spike in campus population growth as well as campus infrastructure and program offerings. CarParc Diem and the Red Hawk Deck were built during this time to accommodate the increasing student population.
One thing, however, is immediately clear: college is not getting more affordable. In the late 1960s, when Montclair State was building a reputation as an affordable, quality suburban college, tuition fees were enormous. $75 per semester. That’s not far off the current average parking quote.
These days, a semester of in-state tuition will cost you $6,161.70 not including fees, and international students pay over $4,000 more.
Gone are the days of funding your college education with money from your cozy summer job at the convenience store, a luxury that many older generations are no doubt grateful for today. So why does the general consensus among these same people seem to be that college students have money to spend? Why isn’t he the only one community-oriented option to pay parking tickets continued all year if not somehow making a profit?
Montclair State students already pay for parking permits, which some say is ridiculous in itself. The real absurdity lies in what the parking permit does not guarantee. With no semblance of safety and no real sense of change in sight, it looks like The Montclarion will be writing about the campus parking situation for many happy years to come.