By Max Shatz
CCC Journalism Program
BLACKWOOD – The balance between student and faculty parking spots at the Blackwood campus may not be as unfair as many students think. Despite complaints that at certain times all student spots are filled while a large number of reserved yellow faculty, staff and administrator spots are open, this view is one small part of something much larger.
According to information provided by John Schuck, Camden County College’s assistant director of public safety, the numbers are clearly in favor of student parking. With 14 parking lots school-wide to choose from with an estimated 1,975 student spaces, students have a plethora of choices made available for them to park even if it is not the closest to where their classes are. This number seems even more colossal when compared to the number of reserved faculty, staff and administrator spaces, totaling only 450 and behemoth when compared to the 110 spaces complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act all spread throughout the campus.
This means that students have almost five times as many spaces available to them as faculty, staff and administrators though at times it does not appear that way. Still, complaints arise, such as those by student Janelle Dickerson, who arrives at 9:10 a.m. with her friend.
“When I get to school, it takes about 10 minutes to find a spot and sometimes it can take longer because the lot is always full, but there are always a lot of teacher spots open,” claims Dickerson.
However, other students have learned to adapt to the congestion around hotspots such as Madison Hall and the Student Center. Chris Cornaglia, a student attending classes at the Blackwood campus, says, “It doesn’t take long for me to park. I’m smart. I park [far away],” thereby avoiding congestion, “… but we need more spots for the students.”
Furthermore, Professor Drew Jacobs offers his solution for students. “Most often when students discuss parking, it leans toward complaints because they don’t arrive early enough … so they don’t get good parking.”
This seems true. Around 8 a.m., when some of the earlier classes are beginning, even normally packed areas such as the Madison Hall parking lot are all but empty of both students and faculty, lending itself to Jacobs’ suggestion that students worried about finding a parking space should simply arrive to the campus earlier.