Commuter Student Appreciation Week has begun at the University, and LSU Student Government is contributing to give back to students who live off-campus, including the promotion of alternative parking options to students struggling to find spaces around campus.
The week, sponsored by LSU First Year Experience, will include multiple different events across social media and campus. SG is doing its part to support commuters, while also getting the word out about various topics pertaining to students.
“Basically, [FYE] will have events where they give out free things … just trying to get a good basis on what commuters need and various things like that,” said SG director of organizational outreach Kire Jackson. “Student Government, of course, takes part in the process.”
FYE’s event schedule begins and ends the week on its social media, with all the activities throughout the week taking place on campus. The events include things like Seaux Stressed — where students can relieve stress with bubbles, making their own play dough, coloring, throw-back snacks and more — or Commuter Student Welcome Lunch – where students are provided free lunch while getting their questions about commuting, gather resources and enter giveaways, according to the FYE website.
SG’s involvement with Commuter Student Appreciation Week took place on Monday and will continue Tuesday.
“[We were] in [a] stadium lot, handing out blue books, Scantrons and granola bars,” Jackson said. “[The] granola bars are really promoting the [Bike Sale & Auction] next month in November.”
The University’s Bike Sale & Auction was discontinued in fall 2016 by LSUPD due to a lack of inventory. Traditionally, the event was hosted every fall semester and sells abandoned or impounded bikes, with all proceeds going to the improvement of bike programs and facilities around campus, according to the LSU Parking & Transportation Services website.
The event will now take place Wednesday, Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tower Drive.
“This fell on a good week to be passing out [Scantrons and blue books,] especially because of midterms,” Jackson said.
 SG will be located in the commuter lot near Patrick F. Taylor Hal Tuesday, again, handing out blue books, Scantrons and granola bars. Focus on Tuesday will also be put on the shuttle bus, which transports students from the parking lots by Alex Box Stadium to campus.
 “As commuters, the general grievance is going to be that [the University] has a lack of parking,” Jackson said. “We definitely want to highlight that if you park at Alex Box … there is a bus that can take you to campus.”
Jackson said that the parking lots near Alex Box Stadium are not as regularly used as other commuter lots, meaning students will not have to fight for a parking spot.
To keep track of the Commuter Student Appreciation Week events, follow FYE on Twitter and Snapchat at @LSU_FYE.

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Caroline Magee

Commuter parking lots stay full on April 21 on LSU's campus.