Lots of expenses come with the new semester – tuition, school supplies, rent, and for some…parking tickets. Many Kent State students have to bring their car with them to school, whether they live in residence halls or commute to class from off-campus. 

Students can purchase parking passes for lots all over campus, but they often face difficulty finding spots in their assigned areas.

“I know I have to go to class an extra 15 minutes before the class even starts just so I can find a parking spot, ‘cause a lot of times I’ll have to just drive in a circle and circle and circle just ‘cause there’s no spots available until someone leaves,” says senior Margarita Douglas. 

Larry Emling, the Manager of Parking Services, says the division’s ears are open to student complaints and are willing to help find solutions. 

As Emling explains, “During the week, everybody pays for parking – you have to have a permit, and if you don’t have a parking permit you can use a parking meter or one of our pay-and-display machines, or use the Student Center visitor parking lot.”

Students can purchase passes for different lots based on their class standing – graduate students have the opportunity to park at several locations across campus, while freshmen are usually assigned passes to Dix Stadium or the Ice Arena.

Emling says although some students think the locations might not be ideal, Parking Services does their best to make sure everyone has access to easy parking. 

“The complaint we always hear from students is, you know, ‘You don’t have enough parking.’ We have plenty of parking, it’s just not where students necessarily want to be. Parking’s not going to be right outside the building,” says Emling. 

If students are having difficulty finding spots or understanding the nuances of their specific pass, Emling says Parking Services is always a call away.

“If your lot is full, contact our dispatcher at 330-672-4444, and they will direct you to the next open lot – we can view a lot of these lots through our camera systems, so we know where the open space is pretty much throughout the day. So contact our office directly, and we’ll be happy to help you with that,” says Emling.