OPINION
7A
TUESDAY MARCH 4 2008
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
COMMENTARY
Athletics Dept. ignores concerns
Recently, the KU Athletics Department admitted they are unable to replace all the parking spots they displaced with the construction of the Anderson Family Complex south of Memorial Stadium.
I'm an English major, so I was glad that The Kansan article "Lots vanish during construction of complex" did the math for me on exactly how many spots we're losing:
667 total spots lost
227 spots replaced
218 spots to be replaced once construction is finished (probably around May 2050)
- 222 spots vanished without a trace (the Athletics Department is claiming alien abduction)
Besides breaking its promise, the thing that makes me mad is the Athletics Department and Design and Construction Management Department are acting like they had no idea this would be a problem.
Apparently, using a highly technological process that involves much precision and know-how, a process called "using our eyes and looking around;" the Athletics Department and DCM had no idea that there was no room for additional parking on campus.
We should totally believe them. After all, in April 2005, they had a professional parking consultant tell the University that parking was not adequate, and this was before the football practice fields project had been proposed.
Associate athletics director Jim Marchiony is quoted as saying, in regards to parking, "I've never really heard anyone complain about it."
That's funny. I attack the lack parking on this campus (and Ugg boots) about every other column. But Ugg boots have never promised me to be anything but ugly, and they've kept their promise.
We only have about five comments about parking in the Free For All every week.
We can completely understand why the Athletics Department sees parking as a non-issue.
One of the Athletics Department's current suggestions to help solve the parking dilemma is to move the track and throwing fields, which makes total sense.
We should do everything we can for football because, after all, we only have two sports teams (football and competitive parking) on campus right?
If there isn't any room for parking, where are we going to have room to move the throwing fields?
Excuse my lack of track expertise, having only participated in it throughout high school, but shouldn't you have your track near your field and not in, say, an adjacent state?
Isn't our track inside Memorial Stadium? Where are we going to put it? Inside Wescoe? It would make that building a lot easier to get around.
This isn't the only time that the Athletics Department has infringed on student parking.
Think about every time there is a home basketball game. It is next to impossible to find parking anywhere near where you have class, a test, or a job.
Athletics Department trying to control campus with no regard to how inconvenient it is for students, who, last time I checked, were paying up the wazoo to earn degrees of higher education, not higher sports rankings.
I'm personally tired of the
It amazes me how ignorant they are of campus issues. It seems to me that if it doesn't involve an Adidas contract or a revenue increase, they are blissfully unaware.
To help the Athletics Department know how students feel about the parking issue and any other injustices you may have encountered (trying to buy tickets for any game, not being able to buy KU merchandise from other companies because the
Athletics Department tries to copyright everything, being attacked on campus by squirrels trained to attack anyone who has not given athletics money, etc.), here is a way to let the Athletics Department know how you feel:
Jim Marchiony: (785) 864-3359
Lew Perkins: (785) 864-3143.
Go ahead. Give the Athletics Department a call.
As its mission statement says on its Web site, it is devoted to "Inparalleled Excellence"
Let's make sure we help them keep this promise.
Jenny Hartz is a Stilwell junior in creative writing.
BY THE NUMBERS
Parking spots replaced
Spots to be replaced by fall
COMMENTARY
Complaints about parking growing louder
Class starts at 10 a.m., but that doesn't mean I can just get there at 9:50.
No, I have to get up around 8:30 a.m., get ready and leave around 9 a.m., a full hour before class even starts.
We all face this problem, and the University is fully aware. But what has it done to help? It decided to take away more than 200 parking spots, of course. The Athletics Department doesn't seem to think this is a big deal.
Why? A little thing called parking.
An article in The Kansan quoted Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director, saying he'd never heard any complaints about the parking situation.
I usually try to park by the Student Recreation Fitness Center in the yellow parking. It is almost impossible to find a spot, and I usually get there at 10:20 a.m. circling around until around 10:50 a.m., when I see several students finally leaving. By this time, I'm late for class unless I run up the hill.
Since the decrease in parking. Mondays around 11 a.m. have been the hardest for me.
There must be some major wax build-up in his ears, because we are complaining.
It won't be the same walking down the hill with two huge practice fields on the right and a huge two-story facility on the left.
Don't get me started on the new Anderson Family Football Complex.
I feel inferior to the athletes of KU. The athletes get better treatment than any other students on campus. I don't think they need another practice field, let alone two 100-yard practice fields.
Even though the Athletics Department states this facility won't interfere with walking down the hill, I disagree.
I enjoyed the scenic view down the hill. Now it will just look like some temple devoted to KU athletes
Talk about a waste of space and destruction of nature just to make sure our athletes are comfortable.
as we walk down the hill.
It's funny that the Athletics Department and the Design and Construction Management Department promised to replace every parking spot that they took away. But when they realized they couldn't find anywhere to replace the spots, they just said, "Oops, sorry," and the University let them get away with it.
I shouldn't be surprised that the Athletics Department gets what it wants without any consequences.
Yes, I love stalking random people as they walk to their cars. Now I've gotten to the point of rolling down my window and asking the
To the students who have to get a yellow pass, the first thing you need to learn is how to become a vulture.
Apparently they can do that because they have "celebrity" status.
person, "Hey, are you parked in this row?"
There's nothing more frustrating than following drivers all the way down a row only to see them cross over to the next row, where another vulture waits to grab their spot.
But I will suck it up and stick it out for my next two semesters. I will get up early and turn into a vulture every morning because by the time the University decided to do something about it, I'd be long gone.
But don't think that my fellow classmates will let this situation go unnoticed and unchecked.
By the time I'm gone, Marchiony and the Athletics Department will wish their ears would stop ringing from all the complaints.
Earles is an Olathe senior in journalism.
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I love that it's 40 degrees outside and the sorority girls think the pool just opened.
--between the lines thing.
FREE FOR ALL
--between the lines thing.
Rhonda at the Ozone in Oliver Hall is the kindest, most awesome person ever. Thanks for returning my keys.
You're prepy. You're blonde.
You're probably a sororist.
You drive a Hummer, and you're from Johnson County. Do I really need to say anything else?
--between the lines thing.
The United Students candidate's last name is McGonigle? That's awesome.
--between the lines thing.
If John McCain wins, I'm moving to Canada.
--between the lines thing.
--between the lines thing.
I like how the Apartment Guide's map only covers half of Lawrence. Also, you guys have your east and west directions messed up.
All Johnson County residents should mow the entire campus.
--between the lines thing.
--between the lines thing.
On Wednesday night, The Hawk turns into Club Axis.
Why was the tomato watching? Because he saw the salad dressing
Hey, Templin: For being full of honors students, you sure haven't mastered the parking between the lines thing.
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I didn't know white ow>
hibernated.
I'm a guy and I wear jean shorts. I'm also about 96 percent certain that I'm way out of your league. What do you think about that?
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Hey, Beasley, when are we going to Africa?
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Hey Gumby's guy, do you want a beer?
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