If you are a commuting student at the College of Staten Island, you are familiar with the aggravation of parking. As a driver, you have waged small wars against Parking Services; you have experienced epic parking showdowns, have waited in the trenches of lots to find spots, have marched the long distances between buildings in terrible weather conditions, and have valiantly battled tickets and fines.

Just a few months ago, after receiving an unwarranted ticket for “Obstruction of Campus Operations” in the gravel lot, I found myself fighting to keep the little I had in my dusty student wallet, and guess what? I won. Below is the appeal that brought me a small victory against Parking Services. May the information help you win your own ticket battle…

"As annual parking prices continue to rise, and enrollment grows, parking on CSI campus becomes more and more of an obstacle. According to the CSI Website, this campus serves nearly 14,000 enrolled degree students. According to Parking Services, last year approximately 6,400 student decals were purchased. However, there are only about 3,000 officially lined parking spaces to accommodate us. Do you see the discrepancy?

I understand that Parking Services falls under the umbrella of The Auxiliary Services Corporation, which is a self-sustaining non-profit business. As such, I understand that renovations to the campus infrastructure are costly, weather sensitive, and problematic. However, the ‘gravel,’ which is an unpaved parking area ridden with potholes (which lacks clear lines or signage) is a chaotic, dangerous, and therefore, unacceptable area for parking, let alone relentless ticketing.

It has dawned on me that this ticket is not high in price. Yes, maybe paying it upfront would have been easier then sitting here to do this research and write this appeal. However, it is the principle of this ticket that most angers me. Hard working students who already pay high prices for tuition and decals should not be ticketed in such a horrendous area unless it is completely necessary.

I have seen parking on gravel, which lacks all common sense. I have seen cars blocking other cars in inescapable positions. My car was in no way blocking anyone, and I should not be held responsible for the imbeciles that decide to park next to me who really are ‘obstructing campus operations.’

The drawing of white lines are not made a priority by Parking Services during summer sessions, understandably so because of how easily they are wiped away by weather conditions and cars. The parking guidelines booklet also cautions, ‘that the college, having marked approved spaces, does not mark all areas where parking is prohibited’ on page six, referencing gravel spots.

So here’s my question, how are students to know what Parking Services does and does not deem acceptable? Your warning does not suffice! My intention is not to break a rule, but how was I to know? Here’s a radical suggestion: pave the gravel area with all the money made from decal purchases from 6,000+ students (oh, and all the faculty decals not included in this statistic).

But that isn’t possible, why? According to Parking Services, paving the gravel is not ‘cost effective,’ primarily because of the ‘Master Plan.’ In April 2010, the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York unanimously approved a new ‘Master Plan.’ Included in the Plan is a new Transit Center, which will provide open shelter for 60 people; the reconfiguration of entrances and campus loop roads, to ease bottlenecks and calm traffic, and marked bicycle routes.

The goal is that the gravel area would be completely eliminated in the wake of a reformed loop road. (Great plan….6 years ago). Now, I understand that the ‘Plan’ is long term and far out of the control of the ASC; however the gravel area has been around for at least the last 15 years, and there is no timeline set for when this massive change of infrastructure will be happening.

Is it not then reasonable to hold Parking Services and the ASC responsible to have fixed the gravel for the students of the few decades in-between? Until I see some kind of visible change made to help the commuters of this campus, I am unwilling to be Parking Services’ ‘benefactor.’”