Kennesaw State University’s West Deck parking garage during mid-day rush hour. August 26th, 2025. Photo Credit: Tye Brown/The Sentinel
Kennesaw State University’s recent growth highlights a recurring problem the school has yet to address: parking.
Both students and faculty members feel the same daily struggle. Commuter lots and parking decks fill up fast, forcing some to park illegally, circling for extended periods of time and arriving late to class.
This is more than an inconvenience for a campus the size of KSU. It’s an obstacle to academic achievement.
The university has taken pride in its surge in enrollment. However, expansion without sufficient infrastructure is reckless. Although it may not be glamorous, parking is essential for a campus with a high commuter population like KSU.
Some may argue alternatives exist, like the Big Owl Bus, public transit or even carpooling. However, the buses remain overcrowded and inconsistent, and public transit options in the Kennesaw area remain limited. Driving is still the only reliable and practical choice for many students juggling multiple jobs, schoolwork and family obligations.
Living on campus at KSU is already costly, but a parking pass costs extra. This year, the ARC deck was split into three different permit types, which officials called “flexibility during off-peak hours“. Instead, students have faced confusion, which gives them more chances to hand out citations.
Students are even criticizing this new system, describing it as “biased against them”.
Keep in mind, these students are subject to a one-permit per car limit with no exceptions. That means if your assigned lot is far from your classes, you are expected to make the trek across campus every day.
For some, to be able to even buy a parking pass has been a hassle. Issues with accounts not being updated in time to purchase for the fall or spring semesters were reported by students who did not attend summer classes.
Yet, the parking and transportation department is not the one you can run to for answers. Instead, students have to use the university’s service center, Talon One. This is just another illustration of how disconnected the system is.
KSU cannot continue to expand enrollment without expanding support services.
It’s time for new decks, improved shuttle services and redesigned commuter regulations. Parking shouldn’t be seen as a drawback for deciding to attend the university, and KSU shouldn’t treat it like an afterthought if it claims to care about its students.
Expansion without infrastructure traps faculty members and students in parking lots rather than in classrooms. Until then, frustration will continue to rise right alongside enrollment.
