Cars prohibited for first-year residents

Due to the problem of over-crowded parking problem, first-year residents cannot bring their cars to campus. This also enables students to stay on campus and get involved.

by Julie Shallis news editor

First-year residents have been affected by many of the changes that have occurred on campus. These residents cannot bring their car to campus.

As the population on campus is expanding, so is needed space. One of the solutions was to minimize the number of cars that are on campus.

The decision was not last minute or made overnight. College president Antoinette Iadarola and her cabinet saw this as a solution during the summer of 1997, according to Dr. Bob Bonfiglio, vice president for student development.

Over-crowding is not the only reason for this decision, though, Bonfiglio said.

By not allowing first-year students to have cars on campus, he hopes they will become more involved.

They will not go home on weekends and Bonfiglio hopes they will take advantage of the Dixon Center. Even though this is one of the solutions, there have been complaints over the summer from first-year students, according to Bonfiglio.

Liz Licursi, first-year student, lives in Cinnaminson, N.J. and she feels it is an inconvenience. "I think it sucks," Licursi said. "If I want to go home, I have to call my parents."

As Bonfiglio hoped, students say they will not go home as much, since they do not have their own trans- portation.

"If I had my car I would go home all the time," Licursi said.

Casey Smith, a first-year student, is from Cape May, N.J. and has the same feelings on the issue. "Even if you wanted to go out to dinner, you can't," Smith said.

Sara Orefice, another first-year student. thinks this is reasonable since there 1s no space for their cars anyway. "It makes sense. but I don't know anything and can't go anywhere," Orefice said. "I want to explore, but I can't."

These students are not left out in the cold. The college provides a shuttle, but when the students were asked about the shuttle, their response was, "what shuttle?''

The students were not provided with any kind of schedule and when it starts.

"Now I have to worry about a schedule, the times and where you have to catch it," Smith said. "If I had a car I could go when I wanted to and leave when I wanted to."

The college used to run the shuttle themselves, but last year they went with an outside company, according to Bonfiglio.

The schedule has not changed and it will take students to the trains, King of Prussia Mall and the stores on Lancaster Avenue.

The shuttle schedule can be found in the student development office. This gives you the times, and places you can catch the shuttle.

So what about the other resident students? Are they now guaranteed a parking spot on campus?

"No one is guaranteed a spot , not even faculty and staff," Bonfiglio said.

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