Parking after 5 p.m.

This is not the typical parking issue argument. I am completely satisfied with the amount of parking available for both live-on-campus and commuting students. There is substantial parking for the number of students and faculty that UNK has and the walking distance is minimal--especially in comparison to UNL. However, I do have one complaint and my beef lies with parking after 5.

I think I should start off by stating an extremely generalized statement that I believe, for the majority, is true. Students are led to believe that they can park in any lot or any space--so long as it isn't illegal (aka handicap, no parking or fire zone)--after 5 p.m. without receiving a ticket. I have been attending school here at UNK for three years and have lived both on and off campus. This is a general assumption many students have.

Obviously, this might be a misconception and if so clarification needs to happen. I recently received a parking ticket after 5 p.m. at the library, while I was on-air in the radio workshop studio. There were plenty of available parking spots in the faculty lot just west of the east-front entrance, but because the 30-minute stall was open and closest (and I was running a little behind) I parked there. I have parked in this 30-minute stall before without any problems or complaints only because I was led to believe that you can park in any space or lot without getting a ticket.

My objection is this: If students are allowed to park in lots and spaces they typically are not allowed to park in, why can they not also park in a 30-minute stall for longer than 30 minutes? Students are led to believe that you can park in any legal stall without receiving a ticket after 5 p.m. So, if students are being allowed to break the rules and park in otherwise off-limit spaces how does the 30-minute space differ? Why are students allowed to park in metered stalls after 5 p.m. without getting ticketed for not putting money in or following those time constraints?

Had I known the "difference" between parking where you aren't allowed/parking in a metered spot without putting money in and parking in a spot for longer than 30 minutes, I would have saved public safety and myself the hassle of writing and dealing with a ticket.