At the end of last semester, a new general parking lot was open to students behind the Prescott Church located off Patterson. As of this semester, however, that lot - lot 32 - will now be a metered visitor-only lot.
Lot 32 can be reached through Patterson or Mynders, and is located behind the lot on Patterson that is currently visitor-only.
Visitors can park for a maximum of one hour, paying 50 cents for each 15-minute increment.
"The safest and easiest street to cross onto campus is Patterson," said Kimberly Taylor, a senior English major. "(The change) shows a lack of concern for the students, as well as the employees, to take the only free lot on that street and put meters all over it just to make 50 cents an hour."
This change will now allow any University of Memphis visitors to park on the north, east and west sides of campus.
"I don't think it's necessary (to change the lot to visitor-only)," said Meagan Simpson, a senior music business major. "Visitors aren't here for that long. They should be able to rotate through smaller amounts of spots."
Other changes occurring this semester include turning lot 20, the parking lot in front of Wilder Tower, into a gated handicapped-only parking lot. A hangtag is required to enter.
"I don't understand why the whole lot is handicapped-only," said Kim Wall, a senior fashion merchandising major and Wilder Tower employee. "It's the hottest building on campus, and you can't park anywhere near it.
"And, every time I see it, the lot is pretty much always empty," she said. "It's such a bother."
Convenience is not the only worry employees have about the parking change. Some are even worried about safety.
"I wish there was more employee parking (for this area)," said Simpson, also an employee at Wilder Tower who used to parking in lot 32. "It's such a long way to walk at night if you work in this building."
Katie Bell, a junior biology major, is also annoyed by the parking changes.
"Every semester it's always a battle to find a parking spot in the morning," she said. "I don't understand why we're creating more visitor spots when students need the spaces.
"It's so hard sometimes to find a parking spot anywhere near where a student needs to be."
