Parking may always be an issue at a university where the majority of its students commute to school.

And the problem only seems to get worse when parking lots are removed. To facilitate more vehicles, Wichita State implemented a free shuttle system to transport students from satellite lots to campus, a system many students took advantage of last semester.

University president John Bardo plans to rid WSU of its “commuter school” tagline. With Shocker Hall and plans for Innovation Campus, Bardo is creating a central location, a one-stop for students.

Gone are the days of students returning home right after class; Bardo encourages them to stay awhile.

Part of this move requires a $120 parking space. A parking fee is not unusual for most universities, Bardo said in a Feb. 29 Sunflower story.

“If you look at most metropolitan campuses, that’s the way it’s been for decades,” Bardo said. “It’s just new here.”

But Bardo’s plan has met some opposition from students.

Many students enroll at WSU because of its reputation as a university with great education programs for a lower cost of attendance. This combination is what draws many of the university’s students.

However, now that the college is charging more, some students are not pleased. Some students took to social media, expressing that a $120 parking tag is Bardo’s attempt to punish commuters who don’t live on or near campus.

Students may not realize, though, that a parking fee is a sign of growth, development and innovation. To receive a good education, students have to pay the price. And a $12-a-month parking tag is a minimal charge compared to what students receive on WSU’s campus.

The university may be making higher education more difficult for commuters, but ultimately, they are paying less in tuition than they would at another university in Kansas or elsewhere.

If $120 is unreasonable, make use of the free shuttle service. Rather than target the university for its decision to charge for parking, appreciate that the school is expanding and growing.

—For the Editorial Board, Shelby Reynolds