Dear Editor,

I am writing to highlight the parking issue at Diablo Valley College’s Pleasant Hill campus. Parking on campus feels out of control. Students pay parking fees every semester, yet many of us still spend 15 to 45 minutes circling lots just to get to class.

Not even the overflow parking helps, as the gates will either be closed or too far from classes to make it on time. As a commuter school, many of us balance jobs, full course loads, and long drives, making for a tight schedule and not enough free time to arrive at the campus almost an hour before our classes start.

A major part of the problem is that not only are the nine lots not enough for the number of students attending, but local College Park students are using DVC parking spots. It’s frustrating to see spots filled by students who don’t attend or pay fees here, while DVC students are late to classes we’re paying for. Even when tickets are given out, the issue persists. Something more consistent needs to be done to prevent College Park students from using DVC parking.

There is also a lot of anger directed at the police cadets, but they are not the real issue. They are simply enforcing the existing rules. The bigger problem is the lack of an effective solution to prevent unauthorized parking in the first place.

While the low cost of parking permits is appreciated, it is still frustrating not to be guaranteed parking. DVC students deserve reliable access to the parking we pay for.

Sincerely,

Zophia Summers
Concord, CA