During the fall semester of 2008 the administration put yellow tape all around theonce beautiful scenic hill in order to add another parking lot. Have they ever heard of inclement weather? When it rains or snows vehicles could become stuck in the grass or slide down the slippery slope. Last semester, a few vehicles lost traction. Seton Hill University (SHU) needs more concrete parking spaces.
By Jeremy Barrick
Online Editor
During the fall semester of 2008 the administration put yellow tape all around theonce beautiful scenic hill in order to add another parking lot. Have they ever heard of inclement weather? When it rains or snows vehicles could become stuck in the grass or slide down the slippery slope. Last semester, a few vehicles lost traction. Seton Hill University (SHU) needs more concrete parking spaces.
My first experience with the parking situation came when I was a sophomore at SHU. All of the front lots were filled, even D lot. I was forced to drive around until a lot opened. But no lot spaces opened up for me. I had no clue that Caritas Christi even existed. I drove back the scenic path and encountered a small lot. The lot had a van waiting there and ample parking. I was astonished that I had found a secret lot oasis of sorts. Currently the lot, at Caritas, tends to become full quickly. Not much of a secret after all, I guess.
The parking situation at SHU is a mess. “I can’t imagine that the parking situation will improve anytime soon. Really, I don’t see it improving unless a new parking lot for SHU, not LECOM, students is built.” said Sarah Slates, a senior at SHU. Many factors contribute to the lack of spaces. One of them being that the school has more students than parking spaces.
SHU also offers a shuttle service. The vans make stops throughout campus. Recently the shuttle service started picking up students and dropping them off in downtown Greensburg, at the art department in the old Troutman’s building.
The shuttle drivers are extremely friendly and the conversation is left to the imagination. Morning and afternoon drivers fill students and faculty with laughter by telling an occasional joke on the way to class.
“I think I’ve only used the shuttle service a few times the entire time I’ve been at Seton Hill. Usually they’re not around when I park my car, or I’ve already started walking and they’re driving passed me going the other direction.
I’d have to say that the few times I’ve used the shuttle has been after class in rain/snow and at night,” said Daryle Gracey, a junior.
“I never brought a car with me while I was attending SHU. In my opinion the University provides adequate transportation to places in both Greensburg and Pittsburgh.
I think that not allowing freshman to have cars on campus during their first year of school would eliminate a lot of the problems with parking,” said Leslie Rodriguez, an alumnus of 2008.
Living on campus and paying expensive room and board costs or living off campus and paying for added expenses, plus the high prices that go along with maintaining a vehicle mean independence tends to be a conflict for college students. The undisputed fact remains that students who live off campus seem to suffer a bit more so than residents.
“I must commend Seton Hill for finally making strides toward improving the parking conditions on campus. The solution, an inaccessible, mud prone grass lot, is, however, not exactly the remedy students were expecting. With the constant complaints last year, I just do not understand why construction wasn’t done during the summer, especially with the awareness of the high enrollment of freshmen,” said Kristi McMahan, a junior.
Commuters should have the same experiences as residents on campus, but sometimes that is not the case. While some residents are able to jump out of bed five minutes before their first class, commuters drive to school. Residents do not always have to deal with the lack of parking spaces as commuters get stuck in traffic, fuel their vehicles, defrost their windows, and deal with other vehicle related stressors. To say the least: patience is a virtue for commuters.
“As you would expect, we don’t have enough parking as it is so we couldn’t introduce additional students to the campus without additional parking,” said Paul Roman, vice president for finance.
There are plans for three new parking lots which should be constructed by June of 2009 according to Roman. These new lots will only be for Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) students.
“Major capital projects underway at Seton Hill will be completed on time and with the funds raised to pay for them. These would include parking lots for the medical school that will open next fall, a roadway to the Child Development Center, new art facilities in the City of Greensburg and the Performing Arts Center scheduled to open in the fall of 2009,” said JoAnne Boyle, president of SHU, in an global email sent out to students and faculty of SHU.
Like any good plan, strategy is the fundamental basis for construction. Planning to extend SHU should provide enough open lots to accommodate all students, not just some.
In the future, SHU students and commuters may have sufficient places to park. Ones that do not require waiting or unexpected delays.