Updated Oct. 10

When Chloe Duensing, ’24, learned via email that they had just received a warning for parking in a visitor spot on campus, they dashed back to their car to avoid receiving a fine.

A minute later, they said, it was too late. Duensing was notified that they’d received both a warning and a citation, to the tune of $50.

Duensing appealed that ticket shortly after receiving the fine on Sept. 13. They learned that the appeal had been accepted Oct. 10, after this story was originally published.

Duensing said they knew they were taking a risk by parking in a visitor spot, where students are not allowed to park. But this was the first time in three years that they’d ever reaped consequences for parking improperly in the campus parking garage, Duensing said.

“When I was driving out of the parking garage, with my tickets, I was fuming,” Duensing said. “Driving down the [bottom] row of the parking garage, every single car had a ticket.”

Duensing’s account represents one of many complaints students shared with the Phi regarding parking enforcement. Duensing said parking enforcement appears more stringent than in years past.

The Phi polled students to understand how many parking tickets have been distributed to students this year compared to years past. Among 178 respondents to the survey, 64 students reported that they had received a parking ticket during the first month of school.

Seventy-four students reported receiving at least one parking ticket during the entirety of the 2022-23 academic year.

Some respondents also described their experiences. Two respondents said their cars had been towed after parking in a tow-away zone at the direction of Public Safety officers.

Claire Hamlet, ’25, said she was double-ticketed while at cross country practice. She received a call from a Public Safety officer who told her she had to move her car. She said she would move it after practice ended in an hour – and returned to a second ticket. Each ticket cost her $25.

Washington and Lee’s Department of Public Safety is under new leadership this year, after six months of operating under Dean David Leonard as interim director. Director Craig VanClief said Public Safety’s approach to parking enforcement has not changed.

“Public Safety strives to enforce parking policy consistently and fairly,” VanClief said via email. “In most cases, we issue a warning first and only issue citations for repeat violations.”

Some student respondents said they suspect there’s a greater crunch for parking because there are more students on campus. The class of 2027 enrolled a record 502 students.

Students particularly focused on the limited parking at third-year housing, where first-years and juniors are expected to park across two lots. During the beginning of the last two academic years, cars have lined a section of grass next to the lot when no more parking spots are available.

“It is extremely frustrating to know that I bought a pass for a lot that may not have a space for me,” a third-year student wrote in his survey response.

The Phi asked students if they had struggled to find parking on campus this year. 77.5% of respondents, or 138 students, reported yes.

“This year, the parking garage was filled to the brim,” Duensing said. “People were just driving around for ages and ages trying to park and there were no spots.”

Students who have received a parking ticket they believe is unfair can appeal the ticket to the university.

Among the 44 students who reported they appealed their parking ticket, 16 students waged a successful appeal. Meanwhile, 13 students said their appeal failed. The rest were still waiting to hear back when they responded to the survey.

While some students who received parking tickets acknowledged wrongdoing, Kendall Bahlke, ’25, said she felt misled by the university.

Director of Residence Life Chris Reid notified on-campus residents that Public Safety expected parking permits to be posted on students’ vehicles by Sept. 22. In the email, he said enforcement would begin Sept. 25.

But Bahlke received a $100 parking fine for failing to display a permit four days before that deadline.

The comfort, Bahlke said, is that she’s not alone.

“It makes me happy to know… that I’m not some parking maniac,” she said.