A recent petition sponsored by the Bellevue College Association of Veterans, authored by BCAV President Aaron Malec and BCAV Vice President Thomas Caetano, aims to reduce the current parking fees of part-time and full-time veteran students on campus by 25 percent.
This comes at a time when tensions are already high among students, following the closure and re-appropriation of several parking lots. Following the start of construction on the T-building over the summer, parking lot 2 was completely closed for student parking. Parking lots 4, 6 and 8 were cut in half and in October, parking lot 6 was re-designated from student to employee parking only.
The majority of student congestion appears to be in the garage, so many students have been sacrificing short walking distances to get to class on time. “It’s usually pretty easy for me [to find parking.] … I tend to park further away from school, in the lots a little bit further from campus,” explained BC student Shaun Dellpaje.
However, many students are frustrated with any kind of sacrifice. “We as students are the consumers … we pay for all this to happen,” said Trey Jordan, Alliance chair. “If we weren’t here, there would be no school all together and it takes me like 20 to 30 minutes just to find a parking spot in the morning to go to class.”
Despite the general irritation with the current parking situation, the majority of students are very supportive of the BCAV petition circulating campus. “I completely support it, I even signed the petition,” said Jordan. “If you’re willing to put your life on the line for your country … then paying 25 percent less to park seems like a small step to take towards repaying that.”
For more information about the petition, contact bcavpres@bellevuecollege.edu or visit the BCAV center in Student Programs, C212. For more information about parking at BC contact parking@bellevuecollege.edu, or call Public Satefy at 425-564-2400.