UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE | March 28, 2024

Our view: Parking not a problem at DSU

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Those who park at Dixie State University may not realize the parking value the campus provides and continues to improve.

The debate surrounding DSU student parking is that students feel there is not enough parking in proximity to their classes. We hear students complaining about parking being too far from classes or not having a spot to park, but their real issue is not managing their time effectively.

Currently the parking on campus is acceptable for DSU and its growth. DSU can’t be compared to other universities much bigger, such as the University of Utah or Brigham Young University. The U of U has a total undergraduate enrollment of 23,794 compared to DSU having as a total of 8,503 undergraduates. The circumstances are different.

 It is actually a lot easier to find parking here than at those other universities. Acquiring campus parking and dealing with the little distance might even help with DSU’s active learning active life moto.

If worse comes to worse it take approximately ten minutes to walk from one side of campus to the other. Students’ sentiment of time management is the issue there.

Thayn said he has continually monitored campus and there has never been a time when approximately all 3,000 spots were filled. In the past, because of complaints and growth reasons, 150 additional parking spots have been added to the campus.

Students may not always find a parking spot right in front of their classroom door but they can find a spot on campus.

President Biff Williams announced three new parking garages that will be built as part of the new campus plan. The structures will be located on the north side of the LDS Institute Building, north of the Cox Performing Arts Center, and the current Testing Center will be demolished to make room for the third garage.

Parking garages should always be carefully considered within the community. When planned correctly garages can provide affordable architecture for the community and valuable quality of life for a student population.

The cost of parking permits have gone up this year. The cost of the permit is a lot cheaper than other colleges. At the University of Utah  permits cost anywhere from $85 to $582 depending on the type of permit. DSU’s cheaper cost goes back to the school to provide funding for education, parking, and materials for students.

IF the $40 price is too much, there is a $20 parking pass to park in further parking lots. More on that can be found on DSU parking.

One thing we are concerned about is crosswalks. We notice 1000 E. is very busy with student housing and so many students jaywalk across the street wherever they can find a gap. This is a potential hazard for drivers and pedestrians with so many students. We think the City of St. George should consider crosswalks, at least on this road providing safe crossing for students.

Parking on campus is better than most campuses, but that’s not to say DSU wouldn’t welcome and value improvements.