WCU 130 years of growth

Story is co-written/produced with Hallie West Over its 130 years as an institution, Western Carolina University has grown from a one-room school building with just under 20 students to a university with over 11,000 students from not only North Carolina, but around the world. As the university continues to grow and develop, we’ve documented some […]

Parking Operations: New parking deck and additional parking in construction

WCUs increasing population has caused a need for additional parking lots including the university’s first parking garage. The WCU Board of Trustees approved the project back in Sept. 2017, after their first quarterly meeting of the 2017-18 academic year. Although construction has not started, the garage has a set location: Baseball Lot or how the […]

Parking Operations: New parking software requiring visible license plate

WCU’s switch to the new license plate recognition software caused an uproar when drivers were told not to back into parking spaces. Although the software is part of a plan for quicker, more efficient parking enforcement, some drivers are not pleased with the infringement on their personal driving habits. “I paid money to park in […]

Parking Operations: Meter lots not just for visitors

Following the University’s 2020 plan to allow for more short-term visitation to campus, Parking Operations originally re-purposed some commuter and staff/faculty lots into meter lots in the 2016/2017 academic year.    Meter Lot Relocations This year Coulter Lot, which came under scrutiny for being changed into a metered lot, was changed back to a faculty/staff […]

Parking Operations: Hard to get parking at WCU but there are some alternatives that are cheaper and as convenient

The newly implemented N.C Promise made tuition at WCU decrease but caused an increase in fees, such as parking permits. To park on WCU campus during business hours, a car must have a parking permit or pay to park at a meter. Wanting to save some money and time, here’s how some WCU students are […]

Residential living is accommodating over 4,000 students on campus

This story was produced and edited with Ashley Velazquez Since the founding of Western Carolina University in 1899, the campus has tremendously changed throughout the decades. What started as a Teaching Academy with barely 350 students, today has over 11,500 students that make-up Western Carolina University. This ranges from graduate, undergraduate, students on the Biltmore […]