Seniors Anxious over Parking Lottery

The announcement during permit registration that parking spaces in the student parking lot would be awarded through a lottery system created anxiety for some seniors prior to the start of the 2018-2019 school year, though their fears have since be proven unwarranted as, according to campus supervisor Susie Frederich, all seniors who applied did receive a permit.

The message stated that parking permits would not be guaranteed for all who applied. Initially, approximately a dozen seniors did not receive spots. Later however, a handful of those who had been denied were able to obtain permits by simply going to the attendance office and asking for one.

For weeks, however, seniors were in a frenzy over the lottery system. “I was worried,” said senior Chloe Guthrie. “I mean, we’ve had to park on the hill for almost 2 years, and this was supposed to be the year we get the lot.”

In addition to those seniors awarded spaces through the lottery, a handful of students were awarded “VIP” spaces located near the tennis courts through a raffle conducted by the football boosters. “VIP” spaces, unlike those available for permitted vehicles, are assigned to a specific student for the year, and there is no grade restriction.  Therefore, some seniors were concerned they would not receive a parking space while some underclassmen would.

Senior Sydney Yuen thought this system was unfair. “I wasn’t really sure why the administration would allow a chunk of spots to be auctioned off when it wasn’t even a guarantee that seniors would be getting a spot,” she said. “…I know seniors who didn’t. And I also know that sophomores and juniors paid for their spots in the lot.”

Junior Lola Ciruli, who won a “VIP” space through the raffle, said, “I’m glad that I am able to park in a spot as a junior, but I also feel bad for the seniors who didn’t get one.”

Yet, even though Ciruli has the dedicated parking space, it does not guarantee the space will be vacant when she arrives.  There have been instances when she has found the space taken illegally by another student. “It was probably a senior who didn’t have a permit or who couldn’t find a spot. I’m not mad, I just parked somewhere else, but I was a little annoyed because I was running late and was relying on my spot being open,” she said.