The Untold Stories of Car Parc Diem
When first year students first arrive to Montclair State, they are frequently told and spoken on the school’s motto, “It’s all here!” From the school’s not so great Wi-Fi, to various dining spots with limited choices to eat at, to the new eye appealing brown and red modern buildings that were built over the passed years, to lastly, the parking problems that everyone goes through, one can sarcastically say it certainly is all here. With Montclair State’s acceptance rate being fairly high compared to the likes of William Paterson University, or Rutgers University, Montclair accepts about 12,000 students each semester, and about 3,000 new students are enrolled each year. With the school being moderately crowded to begin with, extra students are not something Montclair needs, as there are more commuter students than parking spots available on campus. Instead of building new parking lots or expanding the infamous parking lot, Car Parc Diem, a student’s tuition is going to unnecessary things such as the red hawk statue that was built in late 2015. The twitter handle named “Montclair Probs” has different college students that follow the page from all over the nation. The page features different problems students encounter every day on campus, and frequent stories of difficulties with parking at the parking lot. Although it is a well known problem on campus, there are still many people who aren’t exposed to one of the most problematic parking lots in the state of New Jersey, which is Car Parc Diem.
“I’ve been dealing with the non sense at Car Parc for four years, and one of the things I will be most grateful for after graduating is not waking up early to have someone steal my parking spot that I wait for,” senior Tara Dente said. “My freshman year I remember waking up and leaving two hours before my class just to fight for a parking spot. People would lie to me and said that they we’re waiting for spots before I was when in reality they had just pulled in to the lot. Its like The Hunger Games around here.”
Over the years, commuter students have developed multiple strategies to ensure that they won’t run in to conflicts when they attempt to park their car at Car Parc. These strategies include making pages on Facebook to let others know each others school schedule, and when they would be leaving campus, leaving their car on stationary near the steps to each floor to see who would be coming out, and simply following students around campus to see where they would be headed. However, the strategy of following students to their cars from afar can sometimes be problematic.
“I had someone follow me from the roads close to the Red Hawk Deck all the way to Car Parc,” junior Abby Gonzalez said. “I was coming out of class by college hall and I saw someone in their car just staring at me. They even drove by the building until the cops told them their vehicle wasn’t authorized to drive around campus like that. The guy then sped away and somehow knew I was going to Car Parc. He waited for me by the entrance and was just slowly creeping behind me as I was walking to my car. If he wanted my parking spot all he had to do was ask, but that was scary.”
The infamous parking lot is also known for a place where most fights, and accidents happen on campus. Whether its people stealing each other’s parking spots, exceeding the speed limit of 15 MPH, or stopping traffic just to look for the best open spot available, there have a countless amount of people who have been victims to some of these problems.
“In the beginning of each semester, there is always chaos coming in and out the parking
lot because there’s always so many students,” second year student Kimberly Martinez said. “The first week of the fall semester last year, I got in to an accident because someone was driving about 40 MPH and turned right in to me. He drove away afterwards and till this day I don’t know who the person was. Campus police did very little to help me and I’m sure they didn’t even try their hardest to look for the person. My insurance covered everything but it was still inconsiderate for someone to be going that fast in such tight spaces.”
Many students over the past few years have reached out to parking services on campus, student council, and even President Susan Cole. Everyone believes that problems will only get worse, and action needs to be taken now before it is too late. Whether its cutting down the number of students brought in each semester, or contributing more money to parking on campus, the conflicts have to minimize soon. Montclair State parking services has been very understanding of commuter student’s every day struggle, and have been working to make things better for all.
“We always get tons of calls from students with multiple questions, and tips on Car Parc, and It will never end,” Parking Services Supervisor Cheryl LeBert said. “Montclair is making expansions in terms of parking spaces around campus, but that is something we are not allowed to speak on a lot.”
Eventually, all chaos will come to an end and students must have faith in the staff who works hard to ensure that Montclair State is in good hands. Until then, commuter students will emerge new Car Parc strategies everyday to ensure that they don’t get marked late or absent for their classes to come.
“I’ve been a manager here for five years and a common problem I get calls on is on Car Parc,” Parking Services Head Manager J.C. said. “All students want to be at the same place at the same time but that can’t happen. We have lovely lots across the street as well as lots that require students to take a shuttle. But as far as problems at Car Parc Diem goes, it will be time consulting and will take a lot of money. Patience is key.”
References
J.C. (Parking Services Manager) — 973–655–7580
Cheryl LeBert (Parking Services Supervisor) — lebertc@montclair.edu
Tara Dente — dentet1@montclair.edu
Kimberly Martinez — martinezk20@montclair.edu
Abby Gonzalez — gonzaleza62@montclair.edu
