Whether it’s for the day or the semester, commuting to campus adds up.
By Sergio Ramos, Staff Reporter
Like many here at Dominguez Hills, I am a commuter student. And like many of my peers, I have lots of financial responsibilities. Paying for gas, meals, and other random expenses that pop up from time to time, it can be a lot—my budget every month is pretty tight, honestly.
But whenever I come to campus, there’s one expense that just seems more burdensome than the others: parking.
The majority of Toros are commuter students. Like me, many are first-generation college students or come from lower-income backgrounds. For these students, there isn’t much choice other than to work while attending classes. They balance education with work and other responsibilities, and usually, long periods of time behind the wheel.
I live far from campus, and my commute usually takes nearly two hours—that’s not accounting for traffic. Public transportation isn’t an option, so that means I spend a lot of time behind the wheel. But that’s the sacrifice Toros like me make every day in pursuit of our dreams and degrees.
Parking on campus costs $10 per day, or $200 for the semester. Doing the math, buying a parking pass is probably the “cheaper” option overall, but the idea of shelling out $400 for the entire year is a tough one to consider when you’re already trying to make ends-meet. In fact, for a lot of students, the cost of parking just becomes another obstacle to overcome.
I wish there were more flexible options on campus, one that accounted for the different schedules and circumstances students have.
For example, maybe there could be some sort of metered parking for students who only have one class a day, or pricing based on the number of credits taken during the semester. Another option could be partnering with some of the stations near campus to provide gas cards to students. If a program like that exists, I definitely haven’t heard about it during my time at CSUDH.
Those options might make parking a bit more equitable and tolerable for Toros.
And then there’s the unexpected cost of a parking citation. Getting hit with a $25 fine really throws off the budget. I don’t know where that money goes, but I do know that it could mean skipping lunch or dinner that day for some people.
A lot of students at CSUDH receive some sort of financial assistance, so it’s not like the university doesn’t know the impact of that sort of unexpected cost. A bit more transparency and leniency in this regard could go a long way for Toros.
I understand that the university has to charge students something for parking. Everyone knows the Cal State system is having a tough time with the budget, and parking revenue helps to keep the wheels greased. However, to lighten the load on students, I think it’s worth the university’s time to investigate other ways of generating income from parking—some lots have a lot of unused space.
Here’s an idea: why not create parking passes for food trucks to come to campus a few days a week? This would bring more options to campus (we all know this place could use them), but more money, hopefully. We have this in place already with the Farmers Market, so maybe we can extend hours or provide additional opportunities for local vendors to make use of the lots for other markets or community events.
It’s a win for everyone: the students, the school, and the community.
At the end of the day, I know parking isn’t the biggest issue students face, but it’s one that adds up over time. A few small changes could make a real difference for commuters like me, helping us worry a little less about where our money is going, and a little more about why we’re here in the first place.