Don't Get Mad; Get Smart About Campus Parking

With move-in weekend beginning this Friday. Aug. 17 and fall classes beginning Monday, Aug. 20, the perennial "strategery" used to master on-campus parking is underway.

Beware: Permit enforcement begins the first day of class. Please have a current valid permit properly displayed on you vehicle or park in a Visitor deck or meter until a permit is obtained.


Student permit purchase/pick-up will be set up in the Student Union first floor Art Gallery, Thursday, Aug. 16 - Tuesday, Aug. 21

Thursday, Aug. 16, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 17, 8 a.m. - 8:00 pm

Saturday, Aug. 18, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 19, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 20, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 21, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

If you're unable to purchase a permit before classes and permit enforcement begins, you may buy a temporary permit for $5 per day.

Parking anywhere during the first two weeks of classes is typically challenging

The beginning of a new academic year creates the highest strain on parking availability. That’s because nearly every student - residents, commuters, full-time, part-time, night and online - need to conduct business here, like paying tuition, checking in with financial aid, meeting with advisors,buying books and parking permits, etc. Add to that a full roster of faculty and staff people and lots of extra visitors and it’s easy to see why parking gets uncomfortably close to capacity.

Advice for that first week or two of parking:

1. Park remotely - take the shuttle in

It’s so much easier to park along the margins and take the shuttle into the core of campus; and much faster too, as you’ll spare yourself the frustration of circling crowded decks. The best spots to park and ride the shuttle into the academic areas are:

North Deck (across Cameron from Witherspoon Hall, near Police and Public Safety and Laurel Hall). Rt. 49 Green Line picks up there Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.;

Lower portion of Lot 6 (Cameron across from Campus Edge). Rt. 50 Red Line stops there Monday through Thursday, 6:30 a.m - 10 p.m., Friday, 6:30 a.m. –6 p.m..

Here’s what you can do:

Make a plan – Before commuting to class on the first day, familiarize yourself with the lots and decks in which your permit allows you to park. Have a ‘plan B’ lot in mind if your first choice is full when you arrive. The first two weeks of the semester will be especially crowded, so make a ‘plan C, D and E’ while you’re at it. Know where you’re going and give yourself plenty of time to get there.

Get real – decks and lots closest to campus core will fill up quickly and early. Maybe this will be your lucky day and that one guy will be pulling out of a primo spot just as you’re rolling in five minutes before class. But probably not!

Don’t circle – in the time it takes you to loop five floors of a deck and /or stalk a pedestrian in hopes they’re leaving, you could have parked elsewhere, taken the shuttle in and started your day with a whole lot less stress.

PARK ONCE – unnecessarily driving around campus gums up traffic flow and makes the shuttles run late. Park once, then take the shuttle around if you need to go from one end of campus to another.

Don’t be ‘that guy’ – you know, the "sweetheart" who uses up two spots. Take a second to check that your vehicle is within the lines. And if you have to pull out a little to straighten up, do it to that person who’s stalking your back-up lights.

Don't get mad; get smart.