Camila Nguyen

Lot E suffers from faded parking lines, missing directional signs, and no posted map; leaving students confused about where to park.

At Texas Wesleyan University, we pride ourselves on the “Smaller. Smarter.” experience — a promise of personal attention, close community ties and an environment where every student matters. But lately, there’s one problem that’s making students feel more frustrated than connected: parking. 

It’s no secret that Texas Wesleyan’s enrollment has steadily grown over the past few years, a testament to the university’s rising profile. But as the number of students has increased, the number of parking spaces hasn’t kept up, and it’s starting to show. 

Finding a spot on campus has become a daily struggle. Even students who arrive well before their 9:30 a.m. classes, me included, often find themselves circling the lots hopelessly, only to give up and park along the side of the road. The result? Narrow streets crammed with cars, creating not just an eyesore, but a real safety hazard for pedestrians and drivers alike. 

Some students, desperate for space, have started parking on the grass or rocky areas near the edge of the church parking lot (Lot E). It’s not ideal, but when you’re running late and class is starting, you do what you have to do.

Part of the confusion stems from parking lot layouts and communication. Until recently, the lack of clear signage left many students guessing where they were allowed to park. I’ll admit that during my sophomore year, I accidentally parked in a faculty lot, and only realized my mistake later, when a friend pointed it out. Thankfully, I didn’t get ticketed, but not every student has been so lucky. Today, the university has taken a step forward by putting up clear signs distinguishing student and faculty areas, but it came after years of miscommunication and unnecessary citations. 

And let’s not forget safety concerns. Poorly defined lanes, tight spaces, and constant congestion have led to a noticeable rise in minor accidents and fender benders around campus lots. In parking areas without clear directional arrows or spacing, it’s easy for two drivers rushing to class to have a literal run-in.

Beyond these issues, there’s also a lack of dedicated visitor parking. When family members, guest speakers, or prospective students come to campus, they often find themselves confused, unsure where they’re allowed to leave their cars without risking a ticket. For a university that prides itself on welcoming new faces, this sends the wrong first impression. 

Sure, Texas Wesleyan’s Department of Security has posted parking regulations online and continues to offer permits for designated lots. But policies only go so far when the infrastructure itself isn’t keeping up with the needs of a growing community. 

So what can be done?
First, the university could explore expanding existing lots or renovating underused land areas into new parking spaces. From my perspective, one of the quickest and most cost-effective solutions would be to turn the vacant land next to Lot E, where many students already informally park, into a fully developed parking lot. With a bit of leveling, paving, and marking, that small piece of land could easily transform into dozens of new official parking spots. It’s low-hanging fruit that could offer immediate relief without the need for a massive investment or long construction timelines. 

Second, Texas Wesleyan can take cues from other urban campuses when it comes to improving parking lot organization and signage. As an urban university, we face many of the same space challenges as schools like the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), which has worked to streamline parking by expanding clear signage, directional arrows, and visible lot markers. Another excellent model is Tarrant County College’s Northeast Campus. As someone who is taking a class there this semester, I’ve seen firsthand how their parking lots are designed with clarity in mind.

Each lot features a general map posted near entrances to help students quickly orient themselves. Color-coded lines drawn directly on the pavement: white for student parking, yellow for faculty, remove any doubt about where it’s safe to park. In addition, posted boards at every lot entrance remind drivers what the color codes mean, preventing confusion and unnecessary tickets. Bringing similar mapping, pavement markings, and consistent signage to Texas Wesleyan could drastically reduce daily stress and accidents and make parking feel more like a “smarter” experience. 

Thirdly, instead of merely adding more single-level lots, Texas Wesleyan should consider building a small multi-level parking structure. This doesn’t have to be a massive or expensive five-story garage; even a modest two- or three-level structure would double or triple available spaces without requiring additional land. Many land-constrained areas around the world ,such as Singapore, heavily rely on compact, multi-level parking designs to maximize limited space while still maintaining accessibility. As our campus continues to grow, a small parking garage could future-proof Texas Wesleyan’s infrastructure and support students, faculty, and visitors alike for years to come. 

Finally, creating more visitor-specific spots and enforcing a more balanced permit system would ensure that everyone, from freshmen to faculty to guests, has a fair shot at finding a place to park. 

Texas Wesleyan’s small, tight-knit environment is one of its greatest strengths. But small should never mean cramped or frustrating. If we want to keep building a smarter, more welcoming campus, addressing parking needs to be part of the conversation before the problem grows even bigger.