As athletes at the University of Utah who commute for practices every day, we face a significant hurdle. We are compelled to drive for nearly two hours daily just to find any open parking spot, only to often end up parking illegally out of sheer necessity. This exhausting routine not only affects our performance but also poses a constant stressor for many commuting athletes. We are wasting precious hours on looking for a parking spot instead of spending this time on our academic studies. Many student athletes have noticed the negative effect that this parking situation has directly on our academic performance, especially trying to rush from class or tutoring sessions to practice. It’s even causing many athletes to miss class because of this inconvenience.  

Each year, parking lots are getting torn down just to build more on campus living. Because of that, it causes non athlete students to park at our facilities and leaving their cars for days before moving their cars. Getting to the schools parking lot at 6 am does not even help because lots like the Institute that now purely holds cars that belong to students who live on campus, are completely filled up at all times of the day. 

University campuses around the United States have approximately 0.4 parking spots per student, indicating a severe shortfall considering the number of students driving to campus (source: Parking Generation Manual, 5th Edition, 2019). Our university's parking situation is sadly no exception. The U of U has about 6 permits to one parking spot. This dilemma is particularly acute for athletes who carry heavy gear and training equipment and require closer and convenient parking spots at their set facilities. ULot 25 and the Institute Lot are the focus of this problem, there are a significant number of NCAA University sports teams who are trying to park in these lots because of the “state of the art” facilities surrounding them. This has become an unattractive aspect in recruiting which is ultimately negatively affecting the income and credibility of the University. 

We as athletes are instructed to take trax, but that takes about the same amount of time with all the stops in between and waiting for another one to come by. It’s also a big safety concern for women athletes with having 6 am weights and having to travel on the Trax alone that early. Most of the trax stations are in the middle of inter sections and the surrounding areas where you could park are in the middle of shopping centers where they will tow or boot your car. It has happened to way too many of our student athletes’ cars. 

By allocating dedicated parking for athletes, the university will not only acknowledge our contribution to the campus culture but also foster an environment conducive to athletic success. The time saved can be invested in further training and academic obligations, thereby striking a healthy balance between our sports and studies.

Together, we can advocate for change and champion the cause of college athletes across the campus. We urge the University of University to act promptly and provide dedicated parking spaces for athletes. Sign the petition to make our voices heard.