Increased enrollment makes passes necessary

Students at Kent State at Stark will follow a new set of rules when it comes to parking starting spring semester.

All registered students will be required to display a parking permit in vehicles parked on the Stark campus. The permits are free of charge.

Director of external affairs Tina Biasella said the decision derived from enrollment changes.

“Our enrollment increased about 4,000 students this fall semester,” she said. “We are planning for the future, and this is the starting point to continue our growth. Our goal is to accommodate the students and attend to their needs.”

Stark State College of Technology, which is located next to the Stark campus, is also experiencing an enrollment increase.

The permits will help the parking crunch and control the flow of traffic between the two schools.

Interim Dean Ruth Capasso said the early stages of the required permits will be about educating students.

“We want to clarify where students can park and which lots are available for KSU students,” she said. “We don’t want parking to be a hassle for students and their learning experience.”

Parking permits will be sent out beginning Jan. 2. The permits will go into full effect Jan. 19.

Capasso encourages students to check FlashLine to make sure their mailing address is correct.

Those who register for classes after Jan. 8 must obtain their permit through the Kent State Stark Student Employment Office, located in Main Hall room 117B.

Junior marketing major Zach Grnach said he is happy about the new rule.

“It’s a good thing what the university is doing,” he said. “I don’t want those who aren’t KSU students taking my parking spot. I pay a lot of money to go here, and the last thing I need to worry about is parking.”

Other students like sophomore psychology major Emily Yukich said the required permits won’t change anything for her.

“I have never had a problem with parking,” she said. “But I wouldn’t mind if I had to walk farther to a class.”

There are four lots students can park in, two of which are shared lots with Stark State students.

“Students need to realize that there are no guaranteed spots,” she said. “They need to leave time to find a spot and still have enough time to get to class. Snow will definitely be another factor they will have to consider next semester.”

Kent State Stark will continue to honor handicap tags next semester, as well as parking permits from the KSU main campus.

The parking permits are only valid at the Stark campus.

A sticker will be placed on the window of a violator’s vehicle. That is, those who do not possess a KSU parking permit.

For more information contact Dean Ruth Capasso at 330-499-9600 or visit the Kent State Stark Student Employment Office.

Contact regional campuses reporter Erin Orsini at [email protected].