Better set aside an extra $300 next semester.
The proposed parking plan for 2009 will make driving a car to campus more expensive and on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you’ve ever been stopped on campus and asked about your housing situation or whether you drive to campus then you were probably part of a survey for the Parking and Access Study done by Desman Associates.
On Tuesday, a parking consultant from Desman along with Dr. David Collins, the vice President of Finance and Administration, met with the Student Government Association to present the Summary of Findings and Recommendations.
The study showed that right now there are 6,726 parking spaces. On an average Tuesday, open parking lots are over 80 percent full while strictly student parking lots are 95-100 percent full. Over the last five years enrollment has increased 2.3 percent each year and by the year 2016 campus will lose 1,100 more parking spots due to construction.
In 2009, construction will begin on new apartments where Cooper and McCord Residence Halls were located. In 2011, a fine arts center will be built and in 2016, a basketball and convocation complex will enter the building phase.
The new parking proposal will affect resident students, commuter students, faculty and staff. There will be no specified parking lots.
All parking spaces will be sold on a first-come basis.
For core campus parking close to the buildings a parking spot will be $300. For the second choice parking behind the railroad tracks or by the tennis courts, spots will be $200. Buc Ridge residents and parking in the ‘land strip’ parking, spots will be $80.
Buc Ridge students who pay to park there will be prohibited from bringing their cars on campus. Instead there will be a new shuttle bus that runs every six to eight minutes that will drop students off in front of the business building.
“I feel the proposed parking plan will leave students, faculty and staff struggling to find money to pay for parking,” said Meagan England, a commuter student and a member of SGA. “We have students, faculty, and staff that make under $15,000 a year before taxes. That means $300 could be someone’s entire pay check or more.”
Collins stated that the proposal had now been presented to all three of the university’s senates.
“As with any plan there have been concerns,” said Collins. “We are taking all concerns and comments into consideration to incorporate into a final plan.”
The decision is an administrative order, so there will be no vote. Collins will be sending out a campuswide e-mail to all students, faculty and staff regarding further details and ways in which they can make suggestions and comments.

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