Not the villain: Alma parking

LOGAN WENZ
PHOTOGRAPHER

LEXIE THAYER
LAYOUT EDITOR

9/22/2025

Despite the overwhelming hatred directed at parking services, I believe that the parking situation at Alma, if it can even be called that, isn’t all that bad.

Before tossing out this newspaper, let me preface this by saying that I do understand the discrepancies that Alma parking has. For example, the parking passes sell out incredibly quickly, especially for students who prefer Maroon or Teal passes.

However, I believe that our parking situation is a lot better than that of many other students from other universities. For example, at colleges like Michigan State University, freshmen are not even permitted to bring their cars on campus. Thankfully, Alma College has not followed this trend.

“I just don’t really get the logic on why other colleges don’t let their students have cars on campus,” said Trinidy Davis (‘26).

My perspective is that there are many functions that cars serve, especially for freshmen. There is a limited amount of walkability in Alma, which having a car helps combat. Or, for students seeking employment or internships, having a car is vital. 

“I feel like a freshman should be able to have my car freshman year in case of an emergency or if I need to go home because I feel homesick. I’m thankful Alma gives us that,” said Lily Malamis (‘27).

Additionally, I would argue that lots often considered the ‘furthest’, such as the Peach and Silver lots, are actually not a long walk at all in a broader context.

Still, when compared to countless other universities, Alma’s parking lot distances are surprisingly generous. Due to Alma’s small campus size, students are usually never far from any location. This means that the walk is never truly treacherous unless at night.

“The Silver lot right next to Zeta is the equivalent of walking over to Starbucks, which many students do every day. I think it’s a privilege to have a car on campus in general,” said Iris Jimenez (‘27).

“It is pretty scary at night, though. The street lamps are so ominous that I had to buy Maroon to avoid walking to Peach,” said Hailee Risner (‘28).

However, it is not feasible to avoid addressing a major issue indefinitely. The major flaw that gives Alma Parking Services its bad reputation is probably its expensive pricing. Parking can cost from $165 to $350, which is considered costly.

“Alma College’s parking situation is pretty horrible. It’s just so expensive to pay for it that I just don’t,” said Emma Millard (‘28).

“I think that Alma College’s parking is absolutely expensive. Additionally, they sell to absolute capacity in the expensive spots as well, which causes a lot of trouble for many students,” said Isabella Manor (‘26). 

Although understandable, it can be argued that the cheaper, auxiliary lots only cost $160, the same price that the city of Alma charges for overnight parking downtown. Thus, in my opinion, for students concerned about pricing and spots, the cheaper lots are always the safer bet.

In my personal experience, I’ve never had trouble finding a spot. Although I understand this could be due to my Silver pass. However, according to many sources, spots fill up quickly. 

Undeniably, this is a major flaw that hopefully Alma College will address in the near future.

However, all things considered, while Alma’s parking system isn’t perfect, it still offers a level of accessibility that many students don’t get to enjoy. 

So, before we jump to loathe parking services, perhaps it’s worth appreciating that Alma may be doing more right than wrong.