As a junior and a woman at OU, I am stunned at how OU Housing has handled my unique case involving my priority housing permit.
I have not lived on campus since my freshman year, but since I work late nights and early mornings in the dorms, I have felt that the safest parking option for me is to buy a priority housing permit.
Last year I bought a priority permit, and it was never brought into question, but since OU Parking and Transit made a mistake in giving unqualified freshmen permits, mine has also been taken away. I went up the chain of command within OU Housing and was told that even though I work 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. shifts and a 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. shift, I will have to park in commuter lots and walk across the deserted campus, putting my own safety in jeopardy.
I am astonished that a university that values students would put a female student-employee in such a situation.
I have been repeatedly told by OU Parking and Transit - and it was published in The Daily - that the only qualifications to receive such a permit are that a “student must have lived in the residence halls for two semesters and completed 24 credit hours.” Under these criteria I should qualify.
It is a sad day for Oklahoma when the OU Housing office failed to take my specific situation into consideration and have unofficially amended OU Parking and Transit’s policy.
Sarah Harp
Political science and anthropology junior
The Oklahoma Daily is pleased to provide you the opportunity to share your thoughts about this article. We encourage lively debate on the issues of the day, but we ask you refrain from using profanity or other offensive speech, engaging in personal attacks or name-calling, posting advertising, or straying from the topic at hand. To comment, you must be a registered user of OUDaily.com. Thanks for taking the time to offer your thoughts.
You must be logged in to leave a comment. Log in | Register
eightbitgirl 2 years, 8 months ago
Honestly, I agree with TheJR - you can't expect a priority housing permit if you don't live in the dorms.
SoonerTexan88 2 years, 8 months ago
No offense, but there are dozens of other female student workers in the same situation. There usually are spots relatively close to the dorms in the commuter lots.
It sucks, but the point of the priority permit is to reward students returning to housing and that's it. Once they start making exceptions, it gets out of hand.
Your best bet would be to talk to your manager and see what he can do for you.
Permits for $65/semester are also available from Sooners for Christ, right behind the Wesley and right next to Adams Tower & Cate Center.
blakegriffin 2 years, 8 months ago
what a shock, housing doing something to inconvenience students as much as they can. the housing office has to be the shame of the university due to their terrible track record
TheJR 2 years, 8 months ago
As an upperclassman living off campus, why should I be allowed to have a priority permit if I don't live in the dorms? Obviously I shouldn't. If you got a permit based on having taken 24 hours and lived in housing, then 95% of upperclassman would be eligible for the same permit. This would entirely defeat the purpose of these permits being for loyalty in the dorms.
I'm sorry, but I know too many people in similar situations to believe that exceptions can be made every time.
1193eeB2 2 years, 8 months ago
All students can call Safe Walk and have an escort across campus if they feel there safety is in jeopardy.
Or find a friend in the dorms that doesn't own a car and tell them to get a permit for you using your vehicle information. Buck the system.
Why are you so scared anyway?
SoonerTexan88 2 years, 8 months ago
No offense, but there are dozens of other female student workers in the same situation. There usually are spots relatively close to the dorms in the commuter lots.
It sucks, but the point of the priority permit is to reward students returning to housing and that's it. Once they start making exceptions, it gets out of hand.
Your best bet would be to talk to your manager and see what he can do for you.
Permits for $65/semester are also available from Sooners for Christ, right behind the Wesley and right next to Adams hall.