University of Alaska Anchorage students say they're having a rocky start to the new semester, but it isn't because their course loads are too heavy -- it's because they have had a hard time finding parking spaces on their way to classes.
Alexis Johnson, a UAA student hoping to enter the nursing program and in her first semester at the school, says finding parking has been a nightmare since classes began.
"I feel like most days I have to park a mile away and then hike my way to class," Johnson said. "I feel like in paying so much money there should be more parking available."
Like Johnson, other students say they have had similar challenges in finding a parking space.
Chloe Akers, a senior at UAA studying theater and Japanese, says she's had to adjust her personal schedule to make it to class on time.
"It's to the point where I come to class almost an hour and a half early to find parking on some days," Akers said. "Mondays and Wednesdays, I'm here at 8:30 for a class that starts at 10."
Eric Bleicher, who studies music, says the other parking lots that typically have more vacant parking spaces are often farther away from where his classes are.
"If you come here late, then you have to get a spot, then you have to run all the way in and you've got 15 minutes to run back and forth," Bleicher said.
Many students say the parking area outside of the Student Union building is particularly problematic. The director of Parking Services for UAA, Glenna Muncy, says space has been constrained by work on a building for the engineering department.
"This is the new engineering and industry building, so it will be a part of the engineering program and is expected to serve the growing need of engineering students," Muncy said.
Construction on the new building means 270 of the lot's 400 spaces aren't able to be used.
"Most of it's going to be a permanent loss because they are putting the footprint of the building on an existing parking lot," Muncy said.
Muncy says the original plan for the space was to build another parking garage, but state lawmakers didn't approve the plan.
Muncy says Parking Services has sold more than 6,000 parking permits for semester or annual use. The cost of parking permits ranges from $50 to $250.
While some students say the cost of the permits is too high, Muncy says the permits are actually priced lower than other schools.
"Some schools charge $450 to $500 per semester, some of them sell by the quarter and it's about three times that expense," Muncy said.
Muncy says parking at UAA is modeled after University of Washington.
While students may feel the pain of circling the lots in hopes of finding an unoccupied space, Muncy says there are other options that students may not have considered, like the parking garage for those who obtained a platinum permit, the campus shuttle, or taking advantage of the free bus rides from Valley Mover with students WOLFcards.
Whichever method students use, for now at least they'll have to make a slight change if they want to ensure a parking spot.
"I think it's become something that you have to deal with that you have to take extra time just to find your parking spot to get to your class," Bleicher said. "I leave 20 or 30 minutes earlier than I usually would just for parking sake."
Muncy says the engineering building is expected to be completed two years from now. Once it's complete, UAA may regain 100 parking spaces lost in the parking lot next to the Student Union building.
Contact Samantha Angaiak