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The idea of the traditional university, one where high school graduates are sent far from home to live and study on a secluded campus, no longer applies.Research schools situated in the middles of cities, the University of Louisville in this case, are in an entirely different and still relatively new situation, especially when it comes to student breakdown. The school faces the challenge of catering not only to the core traditional student population-those 18- to 20-somethings who typically live on or near campus-but also to an ever-growing mass of commuter students who may live an hour or more away.Of course, the situation presents its share of problems. For some students, especially commuters, it can be difficult to “connect” with the campus community since they spend so little time interacting with it. For other students, it’s the battle for parking spaces between resident and commuter students that causes aggravation.Perhaps the answer to the problem is not complaining about the situation, as so many students seem to do, but instead working together to alleviate some of the problems. Wishing that parking lots didn’t disappear from Floyd and Fourth streets won’t bring them back.”U of L is landlocked, so it is hard to [build] without taking something,” said Shannon Staten, Director of Housing and Residence Life at the university. In order to build Community Park, the new residence hall on the west side of Belknap campus, and the new Yum! athletic facility (which is currently under construction on Floyd Street) parking lots were removed.”U of L lost parking, but gained services for a campus that is vibrant and growing.”According to Staten, residence halls are filled this year to 98.6 percent of their capacity. Given this situation, it’s inevitable that students living on campus will take up a significant amount of the available parking. However, according to Staten and Barbara King, director of commuter student services, commuters still constitute 80 percent of U of L’s student population.A little bit of consideration for other students when selecting a parking space could go a long way. If resident students who rarely drive their cars select parking spaces on the outer perimeter of campus instead of taking up green spaces in the Floyd Street Garage, commuter students might find it easier to park when they arrive on campus for their stay of a few hours each day.Carpooling efforts on the parts of both commuters and residents may also help the current parking situation. If residents who park close to the dormitories shared rides when traveling off campus, there wouldn’t be a need for so many students to park as close to the main facilities on campus.Likewise, commuter students who live close to one another should try carpooling. Reducing the number cars coming to the university each day will help free up parking closer to the heart of campus and will help alleviate congestion in and out of parking garages and other areas.”Because most of the attendees [are] residents,” Julia Onnembo, Assistant Director of Student Activities, said of campus events held last year, “many of the activities were held around 5or 6 in the evening.” True, this is the block of time that many resident students have free, but it’s also when many commuter students arrive on campus for evening classes. The two groups have an opportunity to stop by on their way to and from classes and mix with one another. It only takes a little mingling to break down some of the disconnectedness commuters feel from residents and vice-versa.To help alleviate some of the stress, commuter students can take advantage of free services and support provided through the office of Commuter Services, formerly called ACCESS. These services include the Good Morning Commuter Program and e-mails with news, programs, and tips for commuter students. Similarly, the Resident Student Association offers many opportunities for students living on campus. But don’t hesitate to cross the boarder and make new friends with those who get to class differently from you.
