College students have enough to deal without the added stress of having to pay parking tickets. Keeping up grades, bonding with peers and exploring the campus should be what is on the minds of Pierce College students, not whether they have enough money to support themselves if they get fined.
Pierce should avoid investing in parking enforcement. The money used to fund the program could be repurposed to better benefit students. According to LACCD Board Docs, Pierce spent $52,790 hiring Peak Parking, an independent parking enforcement contractor. With the current deficit, saving money has become a pressing issue.
LACCD Board of Trustees President Angela Echeverri said “The budget picture is getting dire and we might be facing cuts next year, that seems to be the consensus,” reported an article in The Roundup.
To ensure that the 2025 school year is optimized to aid students, more emphasis should be placed on backing programs that could help needier students. Instead of cutting funding for classes or health services on campus, Pierce should dissolve their contract with Peak Parking. Outsider traffic wardens are a new addition to the grounds, introduced this year. Pierce was founded in 1947, meaning that it has functioned for more than seven decades without contracted assistance in its parking lots.
A majority of those attending LACCD report their incomes as close to or below the poverty line, according to the district’s webpage. Charging students for tickets would place an unnecessary burden on members of the Pierce community who already struggle financially.
Monetary stress can harm a student’s educational experience. A journal article posted by the National Library of Medicine states that “students who experience higher levels of financial stress are more likely to discontinue their schooling than more financially secure peers.”
Pierce Vice President of Administrative Services Rolf Schleicher explained that all colleges in the district are implementing stricter parking policies. He said the college is trying to keep its fees as low as possible.
However, if Pierce wants to make its services aid as many students as possible, they should steer away from introducing more ways to be fined.
Safe parking lots should not come at the price of cutting important services or students’ mental health. Pierce should not contract with Peak Parking in future years. The school could use the money saved to improve the campus itself.