What parking problem? Education comes first for students

By Mark Schulman
Assistant Editor

The primary reason that we, as students, attend college is to get the education that our country has afforded us an opportunity.

In many other regions of the world, education is not available to citizens who fight just to stay alive because of poverty, disease and oppressive governments, just to name a few.

Some people who are fortunate to further their education tend to take the learning process for granted.

Students are not forced to make themselves more rounded in education by attending colleges and universities in our country. We choose the path of a higher education to gain knowledge and to better ourselves by striving to achieve and that encompasses our humanistic behavioral sense to live a more fortunate life earning more money and possibly even contributing to society.

It cannot go without saying that there are ailments in a student’s life that would make this process of learning a little more difficult. Time and time again, students voice their opinions on issues at SGA meetings, e-mails to various faculty meetings and of course The Pine Needle.

These grievances are nothing to scoff at but they are nothing that should keep one from getting the education that he or she rightfully deserves. Nevertheless, they should be heard by one and all on both sides of the spectrum.

Here at UNCP, parking seems to be a major issue. The fee for a parking permit rose drastically this year but does not compare to other UNC campuses. For instance, UNC-Charlotte costs a commuter student $220 and at Wilmington the price for a parking pass is $172.

Plain and simple, available parking is sufficient for those who are able to walk ¼ mile or less to class from their vehicles. The campus is growing and the administration on campus is doing everything in their powers to expand.

These following resolutions on parking are expressed by The Pine Needle and do not reflect the campus administration’s views on fixing the parking problem, if there is a problem at all.

Walking distance to class could be cut short by erecting a huge, concrete, three-story parking garage, destroying the beauty of the campus’ landscape. This would create another problem because it would increase the fee of a parking pass, as garages are not cheap by any means.

Other UNC colleges do have parking garages to eliminate parking problems but our campus is much better off without one.

Another bad idea (that other campuses also incorporate) would be to create more parking spaces by eliminating parking privileges for resident freshman. Sophomores, juniors and seniors would not have a problem with that, but remember that everyone was a freshman at one time or another.

So remember that we are not here to endure all of the inconveniences that life has to offer. We are merely here as a stepping-stone to a new and exciting professional life that waits for us at the end of the collegiate tunnel.