As another year begins for the students and faculty who attend our beloved Mercy College, the same previous issue persists. How is the college going to accommodate for the hundreds of new cars that pass through the campus on a daily basis?

The R-Lot was added last year for students who live on campus, but did it help much? Not really.

Our Lady of Victory Academy was leased by the college for the next five years, adding another section of parking. Has that helped? Not enough.

Each year, more students are admitted to the Dobbs Ferry campups, increasing the number of prospective drivers on campus. With more students, there are fewer parking spaces, bringing about angry drivers and higher possibilities for accidents.

Rushing to make class on time, some drivers do not park well, causing smaller spots for other cars, thus increasing the likelihood that cars will be hit, sideswiped and scratched.

“I hate that every time I need a parking spot and there isn’t one available,” said Kaitlin Jetter, an irked junior commuter. “It makes me late for class and angers me even more.”

There are multiple solutions to this ongoing issue.

Like other colleges and universities, freshmen can be prohibited from having cars on campus, which would then open up several more parking slots. However, that resolution may not suffice. When put into consideration, are there really that many freshman on campus who drive? Most live in the dorms, thus their cars should be securely parked in the R-Lot.

Option 2, the most obvious, is that the college could expand the parking structure that is already visible.

Every year students return, it’s obvious that there had been ample time and money to place several more shrubs here and an additional sidewalk there. Why not take that time and money and put it into something that will aid not only the commuting students, but the faculty as well.

Whether it be removing the basketball and handball courts, which seem to be barely used, or removing a few trees and yards of grass, something needs to be done.

The lack of parking will only cause more issues as the years continue. Let’s just hope that a solution comes before students find themselves parking in town and walking their way into campus.

– jasmine williams