Katie HillReporter

SDSU Parking and Traffic Committee reevaluates campus parking and tries to serve students in many capacities.

The Parking and Traffic Committee is one of the many university committees that help serve and represent the entire campus, whether you are a student or faculty member.

“Students might think the committee is out to get them, but I can promise you that it’s not,” said junior Anthony Sutton, the student chair of the Parking and Traffic Committee, Student Association finance chair. “You can’t make everyone happy, but we are here for the students and we really do care.”

The committee designates parking areas and establishes parking and traffic rules, penalties and fees. Some of the objectives include maximizing parking area, maintaining lawful traffic movement and ensuring access for emergency vehicles.

“It’s my job to work with Facilities and Services, write up summaries and agendas and bring up items and issues in the meetings,” Sutton said. “The student committee members and I make sure the students’ voices are heard. If students have questions or concerns, we can share their concerns at the meetings.”

As chair of the committee, Sutton holds many responsibilities, including running the meetings and representing students.

“I wanted to be part of the committee because parking is a hot-button issue, and it’s a lot more complex that you think,” said Sutton. “I wanted to understand the nature of the beast and bring positive change to the committee.”

The committee has already had to accommodate student parking needs this semester.

“We did some shuffling around to make sure we had sufficient and residence hall parking because of the overflow in dayrooms,” said Assistant Vice President of Facilities and Services and committee member Dean Kattelmann.

A parking consultant offered some suggestions for more efficient and effective parking solutions earlier this semester that the committee is taking into consideration.

“Later this year, we will deal with long-term parking issues,” said Sutton. “When you build a building, you have to make parking a major piece of the plan.”

The Parking and Traffic Committee plans on improving and proposing solutions to new issues that come up in their monthly meetings.

Making students, staff and faculty members aware of what the committee does and how to appeal tickets is part of improving communication.

“I got a parking ticket freshman year,” said Tara Kindel, junior journalism major. “I wish I would have appealed it, but I didn’t have time. I wouldn’t even know how to go about it.”

Kattelmann said he thought the Parking and Traffic Committee represents a reasonable voice.

“I think the committee does an excellent job doing what is best for the university,” said Kattelmann. “We look at the big picture decisions.”

Because the committee tries to equally represent the entire population at SDSU, it can be difficult to find a perfect balance.

“Everyone’s needs are different,” said Sutton. “We are trying to find a university-wide solution.”