On campus parking: OSPS works to resolve concerns

It’s every student’s worst nightmare: being late to class after spending an hour trying to find a parking spot. 

From conducting campus studies to constructing a new parking garage, the Liberty University Police Department, under the Office of Security and Public Safety, has been hard at work to make sure this nightmare isn’t a reality on campus.

“The first few weeks of the fall semester are a madhouse; we all know that,” Vice President of Security & Public Safety Marcus Tinsley said. “People are taking time to figure out their routine. We’re all creatures of habit.” 

According to Tinsley, LUPD works to alleviate parking concerns on campus by conducting continuous studies of parking effectiveness and availability in each parking lot. 

“We put (officers) in the lots, we (have them) count the number of spaces available versus the number of vehicles riding around and looking,” Tinsley said. “We do that during peak times of the week.”

LUPD also studies how many parking passes are given out each year versus how many passes are bought and registered. Additionally, OSPS partners with the SGA to collect student feedback. 

“We also work with SGA synonymously to get the message out on what we need to do and how we need to do it,” Tinsley said. “They provide great feedback for us to say, ‘Where are our pain points here, and how can we work together to get those fixed?’”

A parking garage near Green Hall is under construction directly behind the LaHaye Ice Center. The garage is projected to be completed by the fall 2024 semester, and it will boast 1,535 parking spaces.

“Parking is something that every university across the country struggles with,” Tinsley said. “However, I can tell you that it’s something that we don’t just let lie. It’s important to us to get it right and make it the best it can be for the community.” 

For more information on parking on campus, visit this website.

Smith is the editor-in-chief for the Liberty Champion. Follow her on X