University of Memphis students still aren't happy with the parking situation on campus.
The University of Memphis currently provides about 8,000 parking spaces for the 19,000 students enrolled this semester.
"It makes you late for class when you have to spend all your time driving around looking for a place to park," said Janet Wisniowski, a junior biology major.
"I think they need to make more parking lots for general parking," sophomore Mandy Lancaster said.
"I think we have a lot of parking," Bill Huddleston, garage supervisor, said. "We don't have a lot of close parking."
Priority parking in gated lots around campus is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Interim assistant manager of parking, Angela Graziani, said there is still priority parking available to students at Richardson Towers, lot 53 at Statesman and lot 54 behind the engineering and technology building.
The fully automated Zach Curlin Garage -- which will provide hourly parking rates for staff, students and visitors -- should be completed this week, Graziani said.
Other students expressed concern for their safety when it comes to parking on campus. Many of the complaints were about poor lighting on lots located on Zach Curlin near the Ned R. McWherter Library.
"You would think they would have lighted parking lots," senior nursing student Karen Diana said. "It's very scary."
"When I come to the library at night, I park here (the parking lot behind the Egyptian Institute) because of the lighting," said Vickie Flake, a senior nursing student.
Wisniowski is also worried about the distance she has to travel from her parking space to her dorm in the Thomas G. Carpenter Student Housing Complex.
"I have to park all the way at the other end of the lot, and that isn't safe at 11 p.m.," Wisniowski said.
Some of their concerns may be warranted.
According to the latest available crime statistics released by The University, 75 cars were stolen from The University of Memphis campus between 1997 and 1999.
A spokesperson from the Memphis Police Department said that number would not be considered high compared to the number of cars stolen in the Memphis area over the same period of time.
Crime statistics released by the Memphis Police Department reveal that 26,796 cars were reported stolen in the Memphis area between 1997 and 1999.
A representative from the Office of Public Safety said guards are positioned in security towers between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. Tuesday, a check of the towers in the Central lot confirmed there were guards in position.
Parking attendants also report suspicious activity and anything out of the ordinary to campus police, Graziani said.
For more information on parking, call the parking office at 678-2212.
