While students are on break, Lipscomb University officials are already preparing for the spring semester. One ever-present concern for staff as well as for students is parking. An ever-changing student population brings constant changes to the parking system at Lipscomb.
Due to a lower than normal enrollment for the 2019-2020 school year as well as a fall graduation of nearly 500 students, who have finished their last semester at Lipscomb, Lipscomb will not be continuing the shuttle service from Woodmont Hills Church of Christ for the spring 2020 semester, as a result of the Parking Partners program, which rewarded shuttle riders with free meals from the Bison Cafe, will also be ending.
“We are grateful to our students, faculty and staff who have sometimes literally gone the extra mile to utilize our satellite parking locations and to park in designated locations around campus, which has had a tremendous positive impact on the overall parking experience for everyone,” said Kim Chaudoin, the assistant vice president for communications and public relations.
While this reduction in parking may be a concern for some, Lipscomb has not shut the door to re-opening this program in later semesters.
“We will re-evaluate the need for the program in the future over the summer as the new parking garage is scheduled to be ready for the start of the fall semester,” Chaudoin continued.
The highly anticipated parking garage is currently under construction on the north end of campus behind the Fields Engineering Building.
Parking at stokes middle has also been partially blocked by the old soccer stands from the construction of the new grandstands.
“The parking garage construction is moving forward on schedule. Construction crews are currently working on footers for the structure along with stormwater drainage systems,” Chaudoin said. “Work is happening off-site as the garage is being precast in pieces. Some of those pieces should be delivered to campus in the next month or so once the footer work is completed. Then the structure will really begin taking shape as it begins to come out of the ground.”
However, the garage will not be available to help accommodate parking for the shuttle riders in the spring semester.
“We are still on-target for the garage to be open for the beginning of fall semester and to provide about 370 new parking spots,” Chaudoin said.
Chaudoin also shared the following tips for parking for the spring semester:
- Shuttle service WILL CONTINUE to campus from the Lipscomb Academy football field. Two shuttles will run every 15 minutes from the upper and lower parking areas beginning from 7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The new drop-off location will be in Elam Circle.
- The Allen Arena Garage remains reserved primarily for student parking during the day.
- The West Garage will continue to be reserved for the use of faculty, staff and guests during the mornings and afternoons. We encourage employees to utilize the parking spaces in this garage to allow more available student parking in other locations on campus as well as the Allen Arena Garage.
- The parking lot at Stokes Elementary School remains available for students, faculty and staff.
- Email updates will continue to alert the Lipscomb community to any changes to the parking plan and to share general information.
- Lipscomb Security & Safety Bison Walk program. It is available to all students, faculty, staff, parents or guests who would like an officer escort to their vehicle or to another location on campus. To access the Bison Walk program, call 615-966-7600 (or 7600 on a campus phone) or use a blue Emergency call box located in all major areas of campus.
Continue to check Lumination Network for updates on the Lipscomb parking situation.
Photo courtesy of Lipscomb University.