By MEGHA TORPUNURI
Staff Writer
Administration is planning to use both solar panel lots for staff parking for the next school year. The student spots that are currently located under the solar panels, colloquially known as the “junior lot,” will be moved to the parking lot facing Culver. In addition, visitor parking will be allocated to the row of parking spots in front of the office.
According to Mr. Michael Georgino (Asst. Principal), the change in parking structure will address safety concerns and make clearer distinctions between staff and student parking.
Some safety concerns include the fact that students who cluster in the driving lanes near their cars in the solar panel lot are in danger of being hit by the cars pulling in and out from the curb.
Students will be notified of the new configuration once they purchase their parking permits in the fall. Administration still plans to enforce the same consequences for parking violations, such as being issued a Saturday School, putting a warning sticker on the student’s car, booting the car or ticketing them for continually parking without a permit.
Some teachers who park in the lots near the 400s, 900s, and 1000s building are not particularly affected by this change. Ms. Susanne Fitzpatrick (English Dept.) also parks near the back of the school but still believes that the new configuration will be good for both students and teachers, since parking spots in the Culver lot are wider and teachers, who have to leave their cars at UHS longer, will get to use the shade.
Nikita Tyagi (Sr.), a resident of the neighborhood across UHS, believes that the change in parking configuration will also help traffic along Campus, near where she lives. “There will be fewer students turning into the two student parking lots along this road, and teachers usually arrive earlier than most students,”  she said. “It will be easier for parents to quickly get in and out to drop off their kids and not have to wait for students to park.”
However, not all students believe this is a change for the better. “I think it’s unfair to students because the striping is terrible, way off, and needs to be repainted but a lot of students park terribly and that affects the staff,” Cathy Sun (So.) said.