Juan Villa / The Collegian

It̢۪s 8:59 and you̢۪re pulling into Lot Q. Once again late for your 9 a.m. class, you loop in and out of the aisles like a vulture circling around an unsuspecting driver moseying to his car.

Then he makes the dreaded signal — the “I’m just going to get something out of my car and I’m not leaving� head shake and hand motion.For many Fresno State students, the struggle to find a parking space is as much a part of one’s morning routine as a cup of coffee.

But is the grass greener on the other side — or rather, is there less grass and more parking stalls at other CSU campuses?

A 2004 parking and mobility study of Humboldt State University said that during the past decade, the average number of parking spaces at the campus is 2,300. However, the parking stall ratio for the campus is about 0.25 parking stalls per student and employee.

The study also included a parking supply ratio for every campus in the CSU system. The average CSU system parking stall ratio is almost 0.38 spaces per capita.

According to the study, the ratio is “measurably lower than the per capita average found on many other CSU campuses.�

Fresno State̢۪s ratio is closer to the CSU average, at about 0.31, while Chico State̢۪s is 0.10. San Francisco̢۪s ratio is the lowest, at 0.09; the highest, CSU Channel Islands, at 1.52 spaces per capita.

Amy Armstrong, Fresno State̢۪s public information officer for University Police Department, said approximately 7,600 parking stalls are available, which include those in the student and visitor parking lots, faculty and staff lots, metered spots and motorcycle stalls. Although the number varies from semester to semester, about 9,000 parking permits are issued. Semester permits are $68 per semester.

Susan Littrell, cashiering supervisor at CSU Chico, said the campus follows a general formula to determine the number of permits sold. Chico̢۪s permits, which cost $72 per semester, are sold on a two-to-one basis.

Officials double the number of parking stalls available to students, then subtract the number of faculty/staff permits in circulation, Chico State, located in the northern part of the state, issued 1,800 general parking permits. But Littrell said permit-holders still struggle to find a parking space.

“I get here at 7:30 just to get a spot,� Littrell said. “You could probably eventually find one if you drove around long enough.�

A San Jose State parking official said the number of parking stalls versus the number of permits sold at the campus show that students have trouble finding parking, just like at any other campus.

With student enrollment averaging about at 29,000, San Jose State University has 7,347 parking stalls on campus. While several different types of parking permits are available, such as one-day-a-week permits, the most common permit sold is the commuter pass, which is equivalent to a standard daily permit.

However, these golden tickets are $192 per semester — and parking is not guaranteed.

Armstrong said the department has been conducting parking studies to determine the parking needs of students as well as where heavy traffic areas are on campus, and if all of the lots are at capacity all the time.

Recent parking studies include a helicopter ride over campus and getting pictures of parking lots to see the capacity of the lots on a busy day. Traffic counters were also placed in front of parking lots about three weeks ago to tally the number of vehicles driving into the lots.

“We want it to be accessible,� Armstrong said of parking availability. “We’re seeing where we need to improve.�