Two university officials discussed a proposal to build a parking garage on campus at a recent SGA meeting. Joe Sherlin, dean of students at Student Affairs, and Bill Rasnick, associate vice president of facilities management, discussed the parking situation on campus and a proposal for SGA to consider.

“We are well aware that parking is a concern for students on campus right now,” Sherlin said. “We know it is difficult to find a space, especially at the center of campus during peak hours.”

Sherlin spoke about how as enrollment continues to rise, it could become nearly impossible to find a spot to park on campus.

“We think we need to take a look at some other options and that is why Dr. Stanton put together a committee to look at strategies for addressing what we think is a real issue for our students,” Sherlin said.

Upon coming to the realization that the growth is going to be in students and not faculty, the committee came up with a plan to bring a parking garage next to the ETSU/Mountain States Health Alliance Athletic Center.

The need for more parking is an immediate one, but Rasnick put into context how long this process will take.

“If we believe this spring we are going to do what we want to with parking,” Rasnick said.

“The soonest we are going to have this is the fall of 2013.”

Rasnick said the students input is very beneficial because this new parking garage will not be as much of a necessity to the faculty as it is for the future students of the university.

“We are asking you to look ahead and make a decision for the students that are coming after you,” Rasnick said.

“Based off of this meeting, if there is enough interest, I will put together a project that I would submit to the state and we would work to put that project together,” Rasnick said.

One of the questions asked of Rasnick was how much the campus would be losing, from a parking numbers standpoint, if the garage is built right next to the mini-dome.

“There are about 200 spaces there so there would be a net of about 1,000 spaces increased,” Rasnick said.

Following the presentation of the parking garage idea, Sen. Zack Walden said, “You came here because you wanted to know our opinion about this.”

“So, because of the lack of parking spaces and continuing growth of population, I make a motion that the Student Government Association as the representative voice of the student body initially supports the parking garage to be located near the Mini-Dome.”

This motion was passed.

For more information regarding this, e-mail Bill Rasnick at rasnick@etsu.edu

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