First there was the half-hearted attempt to bring football back, which included outright deception by not telling students that the athletic fee was going to be raised regardless of the vote to bring football back.
Then there was the smoking ban which was decided completely without student input, behind the back of the SGA and in secret.
Now we learn that we all will be forced to pay $80-$300 for parking that was free previously (see Editor’s note).
Once again another decision was made without student input (a survey for the Parking and Access Study does not count).
Where was the student vote for this pay increase? Where was the referendum for this? Where’s the online poll or the open forum to discuss this pay increase?
Oh that’s right this plan is an “administrative order so there will be no vote.”
That’s funny; shouldn’t the decision to bring football back have been an administrative order?
In light of these recent events it is not perfectly clear to me that the student vote for football was nothing more than an illusion to give off the perception that the opinions of the student body matters.
Students voted down the Center for Physical Activity, yet an “executive order” somehow managed to get the CPA built.
I think I’m starting to understand, the student vote only matters when it falls in line with the will of the administration.
It must be noted that with the money raised from this parking plan ETSU could fully fund a football program, plus build a stadium.
Now I understand why there was such a half-hearted attempt to bring football back. With this parking ticking time bomb waiting to go off students would be looking at a possible $550 increase in fees.
My question in all of this is where is the money going?
What will students pay $80-$300 for? There has been no mention of how me paying $200 is going to improve the parking situation.
Plus what happens if a large majority of people buy up the $200 parking spaces and the $300 plush parking lots are left half empty going to waste?
There are more questions than answers with this plan, and if the past is any indication, answers from the administration will be slow coming and unsatisfactory at best.
– Joseph BoydEditor’s note: The statement “Now we learn that we all will be forced to pay $80-$300 for parking that was free previously” is incorrect. Student parking permits currently cost $30, faculty parking permits cost $50.

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