As a student at Memorial University’s St. John’s campus, I know firsthand how frustrating it can be trying to find somewhere to park before class. For many students who commute, driving is not simply a matter of convenience — it is how they get to university while balancing classes, work, placements, appointments, and other responsibilities. However, the current parking system does not provide reliable access for many of the students who depend on it.

Undergraduate students must have completed at least 48 credit hours before they are eligible to enter the daytime parking permit lottery. Even after reaching that requirement, receiving a permit is still not guaranteed because the number of permits available is limited and they are allocated through a lottery system. This automatically excludes many early-year students from even applying for a daytime permit, regardless of whether they need to drive to campus.

Students who are not eligible for a permit, or who enter the lottery and do not receive one, are left relying heavily on pay-per-use parking. During busy class times, finding an available space can be extremely difficult. Students can end up arriving much earlier than necessary, spending significant amounts of time driving around campus looking for somewhere to park, or risking being late to class.

Another major concern is ticketing. Memorial University enforces its parking regulations 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with no grace period. Students are expected to have a valid permit or park in an appropriate pay-per-use area. However, when permitted and pay-per-use spaces are unavailable, some students may feel they have very few realistic options. This can leave students choosing between being late or missing part of a class and risking a parking ticket by parking somewhere they are not authorized to park.

Students should not have to arrive excessively early, circle campus hoping someone leaves, or risk receiving a fine simply because they cannot find an available space. For students already paying tuition, transportation costs, fuel, and parking fees, receiving parking tickets because of limited parking availability can create an additional financial burden.

We are asking Memorial University to review the way student parking is currently managed and take meaningful steps to improve access for commuting students. This could include increasing the number of student-accessible parking spaces, expanding pay-per-use parking, reconsidering the 48-credit-hour eligibility requirement, and reviewing the permit allocation system to provide students with more reliable and equitable access to parking.

This petition is not asking Memorial University to guarantee every student a parking space directly outside their building. It is asking the university to recognize that many students depend on their vehicles to attend classes and participate in university life, and that they deserve a reasonable and realistic way to access campus.

By signing this petition, you are supporting a call for Memorial University to address the current parking situation and work toward a system that better meets the needs of its students.