Game Day parking provides insight on University’s priorities 

The Appalachian would like to express its disappointment with the parking available to students at Saturday’s football home opener against Jacksonville University.

Students making their way to the game Saturday were faced with difficulties in finding a place to park within a reasonable walking distance to Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Though students were allowed to park along River Street, in Hill Street, Horn in the West and State Farm parking lots, The Appalachian does not believe these areas provided sufficient space for the nearly 15,000 potential student fans that could have chosen to watch the game.

During the year before our first championship, students had the option of parking and tailgating in all parking lots except Stadium.

Now, three years later, it has dwindled down to only four lots, two of which, Horn in the West and State Farm,  The Appalachian does not consider to be within a reasonable walking distance to Kidd Brewer.

These lots that were once home to cheering Mountaineer students have been restricted solely to Yosef Club members.

While The Appalachian supports Yosef Club and its general mission to provide scholarships to student athletes, we do not feel it is appropriate to only allow those who donate money to the university to be allowed reasonable parking at football games.

The Appalachian does applaud the Student Government Association and their efforts to ensure students have the opportunity to win a tailgate parking spot through the lottery system.

However, according to the SGA Web site, only 275 tailgate parking spots are available to be won.

This does little to alleviate the problem.

Additionally, The Appalachian would also like to applaud the AppalCART for their efforts to provide transportation from various surrounding areas of campus.

The Appalachian believes with the success of the Appalachian football team in the past three years, the focus has shifted off of student fans cheering on their university, and more toward incentives to entice members of the community, alumni and others to donate money to the university.

The Appalachian charges the university to re-evaluate policies in order to change the image this portrays to students currently attending theuniversity.

The Mountaineer football program will only continue to grow over the coming months and years, so it is important to take action now to rectify the problem that has been created.

First and foremost, this is a university for students. The Appalachian believes it is time the administration begins this representation, even on football game Saturdays.  

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