Spring Break
Panel aims to ease parking woes
Kristina Mendoza, Daily Staff Writer
To ease this frustration, the SJSU Parking, Traffic and Transit Advisory Committee meets regularly to find solutions to make parking easier.
Marianne Alvarez, University Police Department captain, said the committee existed years ago but was re-established in 1999 with the help of the president's office and various union representatives.
Sylvia Hutchinson, director of communications and public affairs, said many people knew the parking situation was an ongoing problem.
"They thought it would be good to have an advisory committee," Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson added that the parking situation had become such a huge problem because when universities are located in a big city, there may not be available land to build parking.
"This is a problem the university has dealt with for decades," she said.
Asha Weinstein, an assistant professor in the department of urban and regional planning at SJSU, said one project they are working on is designed to provide more parking for SJSU within the next 10 years by working with a consultant.
"The main strategy to accommodate the increase for parking is to provide additional parking spaces," Weinstein said.
Currently, there are 8,500 parking spaces on and off campus and the new plan recommends the addition of 1,000 to 3,000 spaces, she said.
"It would be 30 percent more parking," Weinstein said.
Another project in the works is a possible change in the way parking permits are displayed in vehicles, she said.
She said the police department is considering switching to a sticker system where stickers will be displayed on the back of the car window.
Additionally, another idea the committee is working on is a possible extension of permit time periods that would last longer after the semester officially ends.
Alvarez added that another possible consideration is deciding whether the university should have an emeritus faculty parking policy, which would give retired faculty a free year of parking on campus.
Alvarez said the committee meetings are not closed and that people are welcome to be guests at the meetings as long as they contact them before they come.
Weinstein said the committee is made up of students, staff and faculty and representatives from campus neighborhoods.
"Our mission is to provide their feedback to administration and the police department in regards to parking, transit and traffic issues," Weinstein said.
She said committee's recommendations would incorporate the views of different members of the campus community as well.
Alvarez said the committee is made up of voting and nonvoting members, who meet the third Monday of every month at noon.
The voting members consist of three SJSU students selected by Associated Students, three faculty members, who are selected by Academic Senate, two staff employees selected by the director of Human Resources, one representative of the union selected by the Joint Labor Councils, one representative from the surrounding Campus Neighborhood Association and one representative of the university police, she said.
Alvarez said the nonvoting, ex-officio members are a staff member of the campus police selected by the chief of police, a member of University Public Affairs selected by the vice president of University Advancement and a member of Transportation Solutions selected by the director of A.S.
Overall, Alvarez said the committee is very helpful in making changes at SJSU.
"Each member of the committee is out there hearing the concerns of their peers," she said. "A lot of times they come in with good ideas and solid recommendations, and when they make good ones, they make changes."
