The Tiger reports (Sept. 22, 2021) that Clemson Undergraduate Student Senate are considering a parking scheme which is designed to alleviate difficulties for on-campus residential students in finding parking spaces.
In fact, the scheme proposes that certain existing parking spaces, close to residential halls, will be taken out of general circulation and offered only to those students who are prepared to pay an extra $300 on top of the $178 all students have to pay already.
Students have enough problems finding parking spaces as it is. They already pay very considerable parking fees. Is it fair to offer scarce parking spaces only to those residential students willing to find another $300, a huge amount for a considerable proportion of Clemson students?
Is it fair to suggest that, as a matter of student equity, all residential students should have equal access to the proposed reserved parking spaces, since all students already pay the same parking fees?
Everyone knows that parking space at Clemson is scarce. Everyone knows that this is a particular difficulty for on-campus student residents. A neutrally-provided and unbiased residential parking scheme, that would be equally available to all residential students, would be welcome. Is it fair to suggest that a new parking scheme based on paying extra money could, in fact, be regarded as discriminatory and might well be in contravention of the values of social justice for which CUSG and Clemson say they stand?
The article in The Tiger describes the CUSG parking scheme as one that will be available on a “first-come, first-serve basis.” Is it fair to say that, if this were true, then the scheme would not require an additional fee?
Perhaps, a truly fair and equitable residential parking scheme would look something like this: each residential building to have a limited number of parking spaces set aside for students resident in the building in question. A selection of said spaces to be made available to those determined by CUSG to be in need (e.g., disability). After that, there will be an unbiased annual/semester lottery. Would this not be fairer to all students?
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