UNM Students United

The University of New Mexico, 1 87106 US, Albuquerque, NM 87131

September 9, 2021

Barbara Morck, Director

Parking and Transportation Services
2401 Redondo Drive South NE
Rio Rancho, NM 87106

Dear Mrs. Morck,

I am writing to you today to bring to your attention the parking crisis we have in the South lot and Lobo
Village. As you may know, this year the two lots were combined on one bus route. This idea may have
been smart if the number of buses was increased to accommodate the longer routes and increase in
passengers. However, since the number of buses has not increased, there have been severe
consequences for me and my fellow peers.

I along with many of my peers have faced tardiness and in some cases absences because of the bus
capacity crisis. With the lack of sufficient seating on buses to accommodate the influx of people riding
one bus, long lines have started to form in the south lot and in some cases Lobo Village. Student’s
success is primarily based on attendance and an increase in tardiness and absences can lead to missing
key information, and in some cases, students may be dropped from the class. It is also not easy for us to
simply “come earlier.” In some cases, many students leave when they do because it is the earliest, they
can leave. Unless you plan to tell students to cut sleep, cut morning health routines, or other necessities,
there is sometimes no feasible way for us to make it to the lots sooner.

As a student, I am disappointed that this problem has gone unnoticed by those at the PATS office and
there has been no attempt to resolve this problem. Before the COVID shutdown, it was said that the bus
routes for Lobo Village and South Lot were separate. If this was once possible then I am failing to see
why this new method is supposed to work better. A simple reversion back to the old way of routing
buses could solve the current tardiness and absence issues that students in these parking lots face.

I am hoping that this letter reaches someone and me, and the voices of my fellow students and peers,
are heard. If you have any questions regarding this formal complaint, please call me at 208-881-6012 or
email me through my school email kbauer1@unm.edu or personal email korbinbauer@outlook.com.

Sincerely,

Korbin Bauer
UNM Students United acting President