Year round, student complaints about parking on campus do not stop. Rather than building new parking lots over the past 10 years, the University has added new academic buildings and is currently constructing another residence hall. The University has its priorities in order on this subject. While every commuter would love to have a reserved spot five feet outside each class he or she has, the University has bigger priorities. Even if the University made such accommodations, resident students who drive to class on clear, sunny days will likely fill the parking spots before commuters can get there.

The decision to build the new graduate student dorm in a parking lot, while unfortunate for commuters who do not appreciate a longer walk and the necessary exercise, was far better than the alternative. The University would have to start sacrificing its open fields, trees and plants that make it a beautiful campus in the Spring to preserve parking spaces. On Long Island, development is rampant and open space is increasingly harder to find. Students should take time out to appreciate the University’s proximity to Eisenhower Park—as well as the greenery on campus. With autumn delayed, there is still more time to do so without bundling up in sweaters and scarves.

As a promotion for the upcoming “green” issue of Pulse, a tiny park, complete with benches, trees and chrysanthemums, was temporarily installed in a parking spot outside the Student Center. The short-lived park was met with enthusiastic reactions from students, with many wishing it would become a permanent fixture on campus. Hopefully, it will leave a lasting impression and students will prefer having an intramural field and arboretum over more places to park their cars.