Faculty and staff should have enough places to park Thursday afternoon, even though some will be required to move their cars for the TCU vs. BYU football game, the TCU Police chief said.Human Resources sent an e-mail to faculty and staff that informed members who park in lots needed for game parking will need to leave work at 1 p.m. or move their cars to make room for visitor parking before the 5 p.m. game.
The parking lots surrounding Amon Carter Stadium will be cleared because parking spaces in those lots are sold to donors, as well as lot seven, the lot in front of Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, and lot eight, the lot across from the University Recreation Center, said TCU Police Chief Steve McGee.
McGee said cars remaining in the lots surrounding the stadium after 1 p.m. will be towed, but the police will try to contact the car’s owner before towing.
Members of Frog Club, an organization of athletic scholarship donors, pay between $500 and $2,500 for named and numbered reserved parking spots during home football games, said Terry Haney, Frog Club project manager.
Reserved spots for faculty members cost $250, and about 100 of these spots in the gated section of lot seven will have to move, McGee said.
“A 5 o’clock game is an unusual situation,” McGee said. “I don’t know when people will start tailgating, but we need to have those lots cleared early for them.”
Donna Johnson, an administrative assistant, sent an e-mail on behalf of Provost Nowell Donovan on Monday afternoon that stated essential and emergency employees will work, as designated by their supervisors. According to the e-mail, essential and emergency employees include the TCU police, TCU Dining Services, housekeeping and other unlisted departments. The e-mail also stated that staff members required to work until 5 p.m. Thursday will receive four hours of paid leave within 30 days.
Faculty and staff who need to remain on campus should move their cars to lot 12, the Sandage lot on Berry Street, and take shuttles into campus, McGee said. The shuttle drivers will bring people as close as possible to their designated buildings, he said.
John Householder, the Staff Assembly chair, said on-campus parking is as big of an issue for staff as it is for students, but he has not received any complaints about the need to move cars Thursday afternoon.
“For the most part, people understand that it’s just part of the plan,” Householder said. “And, as long as the football team keeps winning, we won’t mind moving our cars.”
However, Robin Wright, an Italian instructor, said she thinks moving cars on Thursday will be an inconvenience.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” Wright said. “I’m here to teach, and I don’t think we should have to move our cars for football games.