Expanding student-athlete parking

Student-athletes at the University of Richmond do not have permitted access to all of the parking lots on campus during the day. This causes a time constraint that often makes them late to class or causes them to skip meals. 

Every UR student with a parking pass is expected to park their vehicles in their assigned lot overnight. During the day, there are two lots that student-athletes can park in, X-Lot and C-Lot. Both of these parking lots are on the Richmond side of campus, right next to the E. Claiborne Robins Stadium.

The issue arises from students not being able to park near academic buildings or the places on campus where students can eat between classes, practices and meetings. If student-athletes are involved in other groups on campus, parking access becomes even more difficult for those with jam-packed schedules. 

The extremely busy schedule that a student-athlete has to maintain requires them to be at practices, games and meetings during the day, and they receive tickets for parking in certain spaces on campus.

The Heilman Dining Center is the main source of meals for student-athletes during the day. However, it is only after 5 p.m. that they are allowed to park there without getting ticketed. 

From a health perspective, athletes should be eating a substantial amount of protein and vitamins after they exercise. The benefits that would come with more parking access would be more than just convenience, it would mean that athletes are giving their bodies what they need. 

Since early morning practices are especially grueling, a post-workout meal is essential to an athlete’s success throughout the school day. A full breakfast can boost brain function while providing an athlete with the proper energy sources. This is needed in order to help athletes maintain sufficient grades and mental health. 

The dining hall parking lot, W76, is not sizable, but each team’s practices and lift schedules are scattered throughout each day. This means that the risk of an overflow of athlete cars would be minimal. 

As it is, athletes are leaving their cars parked across campus in the X-Lot and walking to the dining hall. The amount of time it takes to make this trek across campus usually leaves them rushing to shower and make it to class on time. 

Athletes would benefit from being able to park at W76, the Business School lot, lot U6 and the Queally Center, lot C67, throughout the day. These locations would provide students with a multitude of places to park their cars that would allow them to meet all of their time commitments while taking care of their bodies and health. 

Contact contributor JoJo McShane at jojo.mcshane@richmond.edu.