As a concerned GCSU student, I'm feeling the stress of our campus' overwhelmed parking situation. Every single day, I barely manage to navigate the campus without the fear of losing a spot or getting issued a ticket. It's a worry no student or faculty member should endure.

Georgia College & State University (GCSU) recently proposed a new policy to switch to a lottery system for parking starting next year. Many students like myself are against this proposed change, as it seems more like a gamble than a solution. Instead of providing every student with a parking permit as per the current policy, the new scheme will randomly select students for parking.

However, this new system may exacerbate existing problems rather than solving them. It's a grave concern that certain students will be left stranded, especially commuter students who heavily rely on their vehicles for timely and convenient transit.

Our demand? Instead of implementing a lottery system, GCSU should invest resources in increasing parking facilities. By doing so, the university will not be pushing students out but rather accommodating the needs of its growing student population.

Notably, college towns across the nation average a student-to-campus-parking ratio of 3:1 whereas GCSU is currently operating at a ratio of 5:1 (Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020). This statistic emphasizes the need for an increase in parking and its necessity to the GCSU community.

Let's work together to foster a campus environment that values each student's transportation needs. With this petition, we urge GCSU to drop the proposed lottery system, maintain the current parking permit issuance, and increase parking space. Every signature counts towards making our campus more accessible and less stressful. Please, sign the petition.