Previously, Appalachian State University had free parking on campus after 5pm. However, it is changing to free parking after 7pm. From 5pm-7pm the only way to park on campus is by buying a 120 dollar evening pass. 

This parking pass negatively affects all off campus students as well as the town of boone residents. While campus involvement through clubs is meant to be a priority for AppState and its students, this new policy makes it much more difficult for off-campus students to be able to commute to campus for these events and creates a socioeconomic barrier, as low income students will no longer be able to afford on campus parking. On-campus student employees, who contribute to the operation of this school, are also at risk of being unable to drive to their shifts on campus. 

Students who cannot afford to buy these parking passes but still wish to attend evening events will have to ride the AppalCart bus system. While the bus system itself is safe, once the student gets off at the bus stops, they will have to walk alone in the dark back to their residences, a dangerous situation for women and other minorities.

Furthermore, this pass also negatively affects the Town of Boone residents. King Street, a local hub for small businesses, offers free parking after 5pm. As AppState has now changed their policy, students will now flock to King Street to park. This will result in these spots being unavailable for residents looking to shop at these businesses, negatively impacting the income of these small businesses.

It is of the utmost importance to express our concerns about this new parking pass before the upcoming school year begins and before students start buying these passes as a last resort.

Please share this petition with everyone you know and we will do our best to show that we, the student body, have power at Appalachian State University to make the necessary changes to have a safe and joyful campus environment.