In recent weeks, TPAC has begun considering requiring permits to park on campus at night -- but this is not the first time TPAC has tried to change the night parking policy.
"Students have been successful at stopping this twice in the past six years," said former Graduate and Professional Student Federation President Lee Conner, who fought against parking restrictions while on TPAC from 1994-97 and with GPSF during 1999-2000.
Conner said students historically have not considered night parking restrictions to be a fair solution. During the 1995-96 school year, the debate never went beyond TPAC because student government threatened heavy protests. "(Former Student Body President) Calvin Cunningham led student protests in 1995-96, which shut down the issue," Conner said. "Within a week, it became too hot of a potato for (TPAC) to handle."
Assistant Director for Parking Services Cheryl Stout said students always have been a part of the decision-making process in TPAC and on task forces. "We had a task force in 1997-98 that discussed transportation and parking, which had broad representation of faculty, students and community members," Stout said.
The matter has been brought up before because of limited night parking, Stout said. "Primarily, the original reason it was presented was because of complaints from faculty, students and staff about parking because it was very chaotic."
During the 1999-2000 school year, TPAC again considered restricting night parking, Conner said. He said student government's protests were a key factor in stopping the discussions.
But Stout said she thinks this year's TPAC might have a stronger case for passing restrictions. "There are Development Plan issues in terms of our environment, in terms of other parking spaces we have to develop and in terms of other construction that we will have to fund through the parking system," Stout said.
Although Conner said University growth is important, he said students should continue fighting to ensure that it does not come at the expense of students.
Conner said student government needs to fight TPAC this year as fiercely as it has in previous years. "The reason it was dropped (in the past) is the SBP used his influence and said on behalf of the student body, 'We are going to fight to the death on this,'" Conner said. "Hopefully (SBP) Justin (Young) will act in the same sort of strong manner."
