Amanda Moore
Reporter

Parking on Milligan’s campus this year seems to be more of a hassle than a privilege. The Student Government Association has received complaints from students claiming that due to a lack of parking spaces, they have to park too far from their dorms or in a parking lot not designated for them.
The lots in front of Sutton and behind Hart are the two experiencing the most crowding.

“We mainly receive complaints from girls that work late at night and have to walk from the field house to their dorm,” said senior SGA representative Tyler Mechtly. “They don’t feel safe.”

SGA has formed a committee to find ways to deal with this issue. Thus far, the committee has not found a problem with the amount of parking available to students but in how the parking spaces are designated and the enforcement of that.

“We’ve counted the spots and with the amount of people assigned to park there, there are plenty of spots, but it’s just other people taking the spots," said freshman SGA representative Amanda Armentrout.

The problem arises when other students and faculty drive their cars up the hill and park in front of Sutton.

“I think it's crappy that the guys and faculty drive up and take those spots designated for upperclassmen girls. Then those upperclassmen girls take the spots designated for freshmen (behind Hart),” Armentrout said.

In an effort to alleviate this problem, SGA will propose changes to the parking designation in front of Sutton and behind Hart. No longer will parking spaces be allotted based upon class rank but according to the dorm in which students live. Sutton girls will be allowed to only park in front of Sutton; Hart and Williams girls will park behind Hart. SGA is considering allowing permission for guys to drive up to Sutton for meals, but they will have to park at the fieldhouse and get a separate sticker. Mechtly said this change should take place “after Thanksgiving but before Christmas.”
In the distant future there is a plan for a new parking lot behind MSA.

“The long-term plan is to have a parking lot in the location where they are moving all the dirt for the Convocation building,” said Facilities Manager Jonathan Robinson.

“SGA representatives will be talking to Jonathan this week about the possibilities,” said junior SGA representative Sarah McMurtrie. However, no details are currently available about when this lot will be open, how many spaces it will create or who will be allowed to park there.