If you’re a commuter student why should you have to show up
thirty minutes early before your class to make sure you will be assured of a
parking spot on the Framingham State University Campus? So why does Framingham not address the
problem, but just add to it by continuing to increase student enrollment and
not do anything about the current parking situation. Knowing this problem has gotten worse and
worse in my time here gives me a little hope for me to see any change as a
commuter.
Coming
from personal experience I have seen this school at a time where it had more
than enough parking for commuters and a time like now, where there isn’t enough
parking with the huge student enrollment. When I was a freshman there were
three major parking lots commuter students could park in, and with a smaller
student enrollment the problem of parking for commuter students wasn’t an
issue. Fast forward 3 years, replace one of the major parking lots with a 410
room dorm room and add a growing student enrollment. With all these things
happening, not one thing was changed to accommodate the commuter student’s
parking lots, except take one and not replace it.
If I
had a say in this problem, I would offer an option to try my best on providing
a solution. My first solution would be
first buying the house between the two maple lots and tearing it down. I would
then prepare the space between the lots to get paved, and after it is all
paved. The lot would be much bigger with the addition of about 200-300 more
spaces that would accommodate many more students. I was trying to think of
additional places that could fit a parking lot but there isn’t that much more
room around campus with all of the renovation of the current buildings going
on. Hopefully Framingham will fix this problem in the upcoming years because
this isn’t problem that will just go away, it will just keep getting worse.
Replacing a parking lot with a dormitory is, in fact, a solution to the problem of commuter parking. The Administration is trading commuters for residents, resulting in a decrease of 310 cars and a net increase in the student body of 70. This is part of their strategy of changing FSU's reputation as a commuter campus.
ReplyDeleteThey cannot buy the house between the two Maple St lots because the owner does not wish to sell at a price FSU is willing to pay. Are you suggesting that the state use it's power of eminent domain and forcibly evict the elderly couple living there out of their lifelong home? That would further harm relations with the town of Framingham.
FSU does has a strategic plan. They've done a lot of building since I was a teenager growing up at 43 Adams Rd in the 1970's.
I agree with you, parking is definitely a huge problem on our campus. I heard that the administration is considering building a parking garage in Maynard lot to accommodate more parking.
ReplyDeleteCarl mentioned that FSU is attempting to change the reputation as a commuter campus. I don't believe that they are successful in doing so. I feel as if we have the same amount of commuters and instead just added more residents, which in turn leads for more problems on our small campus (room in cafeterias, for example).
Whether administration likes it or not, FSU is a large commuter school. The location makes it easy to drive to, and there are many students (such as myself) who need to stay for an extra semester to complete the requirements. I feel as if it is a waste to live in the dorms for one semester, which is why I am commuting this semester. FSU should definitely look into making more parking spaces for commuters.
It is my second year at Framingham State. The problem with parking increased dramtically since I was a freshman. If Carl is correct about what Framingham State is trying to do, it still is not right. Commuters pay to go to the school. There shouldn't be competition in parking. One solution that might help is take away some of the the resisdent parking and replace it for commuter parking. It may not sound nice, but it is not a bad trade for putting a building where they used to put a parking lot.
ReplyDeleteAs anyone would say, the small amount of parking at FSU is a problem. However, is it possible that any of these solutions could actually work? They might but the easiest thing for FSU to do is simply lower the enrollment rate. It doesn't take construction workers working on campus all year or tearing down houses, but just lower the amount of student acceptances.
ReplyDeleteAs a resident student, I can't say I totally understand what you're going through. However, I am planning on living off campus next year. Unfortunately for me, I will probably give myself 8:30 am classes Monday through Friday so I don't have to deal with the treacherous parking situation that often occurs right around 11:30 and continues all afternoon.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Carl though, I think you might be confused about which house AuburnRocket2117 is referring to. The house in between Maple Commuter Lot and Maple Resident lot is owned by a younger couple with a few children. They are not elderly. However, I see what you're saying and I agree that we cannot ethically strong arm a couple to leave and go elsewhere. However, has FSU even asked them if they are willing to sell? Maybe if they heard a number they liked, they would be more willing to leave.
FSU is known for its innovative advances, right? Someone needs to propose something that works. Maybe a parking garage in Maynard. Or possibly tearing down Crocker, putting Foster Hall where Crocker was, and expanding the parking lot up Maynard Road. If no sensible solution is proposed, we will have to expand the shuttle service and start shuttling commuter students to and from their cars at satellite parking lots. We have reached "full capacity" here.
A parking garage would be perfectly ideal. Between last semester and this semester, I have also noticed a great change. It is very frustrating that, as commuters, we have to wake up early enough as it is to drive to campus, but then be forced to park all the way down Maple because Maynard is always full. This has made me late to classes many times and tardiness is marked down by many professors. I have noticed an increase in commuters, but FSU needs to put a limit on how many students they accept.
ReplyDelete