By Nicole DeLapp
The Scene staff
After decades of having a designated parking lot for employees, Forest Park is going a new direction.
Anyone who comes to campus can now park in any space with a few exceptions.
“We understand the needs of our students,” said Ramon Cusi, facilities department manager. “We want to make campus student friendly.”
Faculty and staff have mixed feelings about the change.
Eve Fonseca, an English professor who used to park in the employee lot, doesn’t mind parking farther away now.
“I like to walk,” she said.
Waureen Cherry, a student worker in the Campus Life office, agrees that students should come first.
“More students will feel at home if they’re not stressed out about finding a parking place,” she said.
Mario Carlos, an adjunct who teaches painting and printmaking classes, agrees that students are important.
But Carlos also believes that designated employee parking is good idea. He regularly carries a large amount of art supplies to his classroom.
“What about being faculty friendly?” he asked.
The employee parking lot used to be east of the Hospitality Studies Center. Concrete blocks kept drivers from entering anywhere except through the east gate, where a sign read “Staff Only.”
Faculty, staff and other employees got parking permits and hung them from rearview mirrors. Occasionally, campus police checked them at the entrance.
That was back in the day when Forest Park had more students and it was harder for employees to find parking places.
“We haven’t had to enforce (permit regulations) because we haven’t had the problems that we used to have,” said officer Daniel Taylor. “But we do patrol the parking lots to keep them safe.”
According to Cusi, officials took down the “Staff Only” sign at the entrance of the employee parking lot three years ago, but concrete barriers remained in place, so many people didn’t realize the situation had changed.
Then COVID-19 hit, leading to a districtwide shutdown followed by limited operations, so ample parking was available for a couple of years.
Students and employees are still supposed to get parking permits, although police aren’t issuing tickets to those without them. Permits are free.
There are a few exceptions to the system of students, faculty, staff and visitors being able to park anywhere on campus. Spaces close to main entrances are designated for vehicles with handicapped permits.
Also, “ride share” spaces are available for students and employees who carpool to school. They’re between C Tower and the former employee lot.
The college has no plans to bring back employee parking, according to Cusi, who refers to the new system as an “equal opportunity” for everyone.
Lee Agura and other students in culinary arts programs are benefitting from the system because the former employee lot is right next to their classroom building.
“I have no problem finding a parking place,” he said.
Beyond parking restrictions, the facilities department has been making improvements to all lots on campus.
“We have been repaving and striping,” Cusi said.