At its regularly scheduled Undergraduate Student Government meeting Tuesday, the Traffic and Parking Division proposed changes to west campus parking lots, and a statement of opinion was released in regards to recent gun violence events.

USG Traffic and Parking Committee representative Colton Newlin said the committee proposed changes to parking lots near Thompson Point, making them available for those living on West Campus in the fall semester.

This change comes because of East Campus housing closing in the fall.

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Parking lots near the School of Law building and Miles Hall will be changed to green lots if the proposal is approved by Chancellor Carlo Montemagno, Newlin said.

“The traffic and parking divisions have met,” Newlin said. “All the officials approved on it, we pushed it through, and it’s up to the chancellor.”

According to the Parking Division’s website, a green sticker is for students that live on-campus, and need to park their car overnight on-campus as well.

Newlin said the Traffic and Parking Division discussed changing Lot 4, the parking lot directly between the Mass Communication Building and West Campus, into a premium green lot.

“So students have to pay slightly more money than a normal green parking spot,” Newlin said. “But it’s gonna be right across the street.”

Newlin said there has been complaints regarding engineering parking lots, where engineering students didn’t have enough spaces because faculty will park in student lots.

“They still technically can do that,” Newlin said. “Because that’s what their faculty sticker allows them to do. It doesn’t work the other way, unfortunately. I don’t think that’s something we’re looking to change.”

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Newlin said students are encouraged to use the arena lot, which has gone unused for a while. He also said there are planned changes to visitor parking by the engineering building.

“We’re changing them from meters to pay stations like we have at the Student Center,” Newlin said. “Just because it’s more convenient for the meter maids.”

Newlin said he does not know when the chancellor will review the proposed changes to parking.

USG President Emily Buice released a statement of opinion at the USG Senate meeting saying future SIU students should be able to participate in protests without their admission to the university being jeopardized.

The statement was in response to the National School Walkout, in which high school students did not attend classes in protest of gun violence after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14.

Demonstrations of estimated hundreds of thousands of students bring concerns about acceptance of protesters at institutions of higher education, Buice said.

Buice said the SIU Admissions application asks potential students to disclose convictions for felonies, pending charges involving a felony, and any disciplinary sanction from any other college or university for an offense involving violence or the threat of violence.

“If potential students, who engaged in peaceful protests, are able to answer “no” to these questions,” Buice said, “their admission to our university should not be jeopardized based on their participation in protests.”

Buice said USG would like to encourage students to read the emergency preparedness and violence prevention resource webpage.

“Our campus is one that embraces change and those who bring it,” Buice said. “When you’re ready, we look forward to welcoming you to a safe campus where you can continue to impact the world.”

Staff writer Jeremy Brown can be reached at j[email protected].

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