OPINION

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By Bird Murray

Ethics: moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity. This word often creeps into my mind as I slowly roll down the parking lot of Collegiate School at 8:00 in the morning on an average weekday. At Collegiate there are two parking lots, sometimes referred to together as the East Lot, on the backside of campus. The northern half of the lot is considerably closer to the Sharp Academic Commons, where Upper School students congregate in the morning before heading to class.

Ever since these parking lots were constructed in 2011, there has been an unwritten law understood among Upper School students that the northern lot, referred to as the “Senior Lot,” is for seniors, and juniors are to park their vehicles slightly further away in the southern lot, near the Seal Athletic Center. This rule, although unwritten, has generally been followed by juniors since the lots were built, out of respect for their elders and the knowledge that they will be able to exercise their authority the following year.

When asked for the school’s official stance on the battle for land, Dean of Students Mark Palyo enthusiastically responded, “There is no official rule for where students can park! Juniors can park wherever they want, and if seniors have a problem with that, they can talk to me.” The only word on the issue in Collegiate’s Student Handbook is “Juniors and Seniors … are expected to park in designated student parking lots.”

Sometimes unwritten rules are stronger than written ones, and tradition has spoken on the validity of parking laws at Collegiate. The Senior Lot is such a deep tradition that there is even a song sung about it at Feast of Juul, the annual fall senior boys’ dinner.

Times have changed. As a senior class, we face a threat unknown to those who have walked this path before us. This school year we have faced an unprecedented amount of juniors parking in the Senior Lot. This returns me to the word “ethics.” While previous junior classes have known how to behave, act, and where to park, the class of 2021 appears out of touch with the ethics behind parking at Collegiate.

The ethical choice, in my opinion, would be to park in the junior lot, with the knowledge of why you have done so. This way, next year, as a senior, you can reflect on why it is important for juniors to park in their place. Collegiate’s rival school, St. Christopher’s, has designated senior/junior parking lots. While I stand my ground that Collegiate is the superior institute, I think we could possibly take a few hints from our cross-town neighbors.

A panoramic of the eastern lots on campus. Photo credit: Bird Murray.

While my sentiments may seem hyperbolic or aggressive, there are many other seniors who feel just as I do. When asked about the topic, Chris Grainer (‘20) said, “I knew that when I was a senior one day, I’d like to have that privilege,” He went on to say that “when juniors come in and take it [spots in the Senior Lot] it kinda’ just doesn’t make me feel happy and breaks my heart a little bit.” Bralyn Van Roekel (‘20) added, “Seniors should have the privilege of parking in the Senior Lot because it’s closer. It’s also our last year, and we should have the privilege to park in those spots, and simply the current juniors do not respect that.” Michael Stewart (‘20) even suggested a solution involving spike strips to keep juniors out of the upper lot.

The amount of senior privileges granted at Collegiate is limited, and many seniors seem to think that parking slightly closer to school should be included in those privileges. Whether it is corrected or not, it is my opinion that it is not a right to park in the Senior Lot, but a privilege, and I believe the current junior class needs to start seeing it that way.