*This article was written by Samantha Powers and edited by Devin Mulvey.
BLOOMSBURG—The parking lot behind McCormick Center for Human Services, or MCHS, is the fifth most ticketed on campus, yet the university police say they hear no complaints from students.
According to the Director of Bloomsburg Police Department, Tom Phillips, the campus police department issued 275 tickets last semester, bringing in around $4,000.00. Phillips said that the number of tickets issued is roughly the same every semester for this smaller lot.
The MCHS lot has caused a stir among students. According to junior mass communications major, Deanna Jackson, she has received a total of three parking tickets in the lot behind McCormick last semester, Spring 2017.
This lot, like all others on campus, has free parking after 5:00 PM. However, each parking ticket costs $15.00 if you park in the lot before 5 PM.
“I parked close to 5 o’clock one day and still got ticketed… I tried to argue it but did not win, I unfortunately still got ticketed” objects Jackson. Jackson along with other disgruntled students is, “a bit annoyed,” by how heavily Bloomsburg University’s police department, BUPD, tickets for violations in this particular lot.
While students view this lot as one of the more heavily ticketed lots, BUPD sees the exact opposite. Phillips shares that there have not been many complaints from students or faculty about the lot behind McCormick, but there have been complaints that BUPD needs to, “ticket more because unauthorized vehicles were parked there.” This information came as a shock to Jackson, since she received a handful of tickets last semester.
Some students do not even realize that the lot is heavily ticketed. Vicki DiMarco, junior, said she has parked in this lot several times and has never received a ticket. A few of these times were before five, but she was, “lucky enough to not get any tickets.”
Despite its strict enforcement and ticket laden reputation, students continue to park behind MCHS before 5 PM. This lot is one to keep an eye on, as so many students, faculty, and unauthorized vehicles park there before 5 PM.
