If we were to place a bet on what the most common phrase said at UNK over the years was (other than “Go Lopes”) we’d bet on, “We need better parking.”
Life is always changing, but the cry for better parking has remained a constant. It has become a topic of conversation that all students can pitch in on and relate to. We have heard our fair share of suggestions on how to solve the issue, including the ideas of building parking garages or replacing green space with parking.
But a concrete solution has never felt quite real until this academic year.
UNK is taking visible steps to improve campus parking.
At the start of the fall 2024 semester, the UNK Police Department adjusted the pricing of the permits they offer. Residential students could buy more expensive permits to park close to the dorms or pay a cheaper price to park farther away. These changes were implemented to help with the congestion of the lots, and our staff has seen positive changes from last school year to this school year.
UNK has not stopped there.
In December, a land swap was approved between the University and the St. Teresa of Calcutta Newman Center. UNK will acquire ownership of five properties on West 27th Street, and the Newman Center will obtain the land that University Residence North previously sat on.
The University plans to use the land to add more residential parking, addressing a primary concern for many students.
We are supportive of this decision.
The Newman Center sits adjacent to the side of campus that is suffering the most from a lack of parking. Fraternity and Sorority Life moved into new residence halls east of the Nebraskan Student Union in 2023 and 2024. Ever since that move, the demand for parking in that area has grown as there are more students living on that side of campus.
The land swap will lessen the strain, congestion and worry about finding parking.
Unfortunately, this solution will not be an immediate fix, but we believe it is one that will be worth the wait. The agreement allows the Newman Center to remain on the land for up to five years to fundraise and finish construction.
Our staff believes the University can not satisfy the students’ request better than this. To add more parking, the only two options would be to build up or build out. Building out is likely the best option for financial and accessibility reasons.
While it may not be as immediate of a solution as students want, our staff believes the University could not satisfy the students’ request better than this.
We applaud UNK officials for trying to find a solution to parking. It has been a major concern for students, and UNK has taken on that concern. There is no way to satisfy everyone and no such thing as a perfect solution, but we believe this could be a good one.
