Photo from UIW Parking Website
By: Mackenzie Conant
One of the biggest stress points in the first week of classes for a UIW student can be summed up in one word: parking. From buying the permit to finding an available spot, the entire process feels overdue for reevaluation.
During the first week of the fall 2025 semester, numerous students and faculty have all concluded that finding a parking space is stressful and time-consuming. Giana Casso, a commuter graduate student, has struggled with this and described how it has affected her. “It’s torturous and there’s cones everywhere. It’s very inconvenient.” Giana is not the only one who is feeling the pressures of finding parking before rushing to class. Susanna Alford, an athletic advisor, can sympathize with the students who are dealing with this issue. “UIW is so limited in space that parking becomes a real frustration point for commuters.”
In an email from Robert Leonard, Associate VP for Business & Finance, he comments on the issue, “The total number of available parking spots is 4,274, with the larger portion of 2,500 being allotted to reserved and ADA slots.” That leaves only 1,774 parking spots left over for other students, which does not even take into account the number of commuter students.
When asked what the solution was to find available parking for those who need it, Leonard responded “If the lower campus and Founders parking is full, faculty, staff, & students are welcome to park in Ancira or McCombs garage and catch the shuttle to other parts of campus.” With these garages being located across campus at the top of the hill, the hassle is still prominent for students even with the accessibility to the shuttles.
In addition to the limited space available, students also have to pay to have the privilege to park. For undergraduate students a permit can vary from $270 for an economy permit to $770 for a residential permit. Students may have the luxury of living on campus but with the expensive parking permit, it brings the value down for the on-campus living option.
When asked about a long-term plan to fix the issue, Leonard said “We are currently reviewing more strategic parking for students, faculty, staff, and visitors here at UIW.” One day there may be more availability at a lesser cost for parking but at this moment the hassle still remains for the community at UIW.
