In celebration of 100 years of service to Buffalo State, The Record will re-print
one former article in each of its 10 issues this semester, chronicling the paper’s
rich history since its establishment in 1913. This week, we feature an article that
appeared in Vol. 80, Issue No. 31, published on Tuesday, March 15, 1977.
Parking issues at Buffalo State and college campuses across the country
have been well documented over the years. After searching through The Record
archives, it seems at least one story per week on the inconveniences of campus
parking made it to the front pages. Faculty and students contending for lot
access extends as far back as the parking dilemma itself. In a report titled, “Staff
parking in student lots causes headaches,” written by reporter Wayne Gettinger,
The Record reported on the campus’ latest parking headache and a proposed
solution. Obviously, the only thing that has changed since 1977 is the price of
the parking tickets. Students were hit with a mere $5 fine back when this story
printed, a figure five times larger for violators today.
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Although more parking spaces have been built recently for students on campus,
faculty can still only park in spaces originally designated for them; a rule many
teachers have disobeyed, according to some students.
The parking lot that has caused the most controversy is the large one next to the
College Learning Lab (between the Learning Lab and the New Gym). This lot
was originally designated for students while faculty were permitted to park in a
smaller area next to it.
Problems arose when about two rows of spaces in the students’ lot were
“swapped” for about the same number of spaces in the faculty parking area,
according to security Captain Norm Jagodzinski. Staff cars are tagged (ticketed)
in student lots, and vice versa, but there is not the manpower to cover all the
parking lots.
Security’s primary concern involves cars illegally parked in fire lanes, load zones
and roadways. Here cars are always tagged, Jagodzinski said.
From 1975-1976, tagging was down 54 per cent due to more parking spaces
being made. There was an attempt to expand parking lots even more by cutting
down the width of the spaces, but it was unsuccessful due to poor parking and
doors being left open.
On almost any given day, the parking lot by the state mental hospital is almost
half empty. Apparently, many students are unaware of the fact that this lot is
Buffalo State College’s, and not the hospital’s.
Illegally parked cars are given $5 tickets (if legally parked in a load zone) and $6
tickets (if illegally parked elsewhere).
Jagodzinski said these prices were said at a meeting with Buffalo representatives
in which Buffalo State College and U/B were allowed to charge less than is
charged for tickets given by the city.
One thing students should realize is that if they have to unlock a vehicle, security
will give them a permit to do it. (Often students park in load zones and get
tagged.)
Jagodzinski said that if a student sees faculty cars illegally parked, “He can call in
a complaint and we’ll honor that complaint.”