Parking Committee hears student input
As promised, student input is being accepted regarding potential changes to the Parking Terrace.
The Utah State University parking committee met Thursday in the Associated Students of USU council chambers to listen to the suggestions of students regarding the terrace issue. Approximately 20 students attended the meeting.
Lisa Leishman, director of Parking and Transportation Services, explained the status of the parking department to students.
“Please know that the USU Parking and Transportation department has a vision of being the best and we’re actually very close to being there,” she said.
Leishman said there is a misconception on campus that there is no parking available, when in reality, hundreds of parking stalls remain vacant daily.
“There are literally universities across the nation that don’t have that luxury [of enough parking],” Leishman said, noting that on many campuses students and faculty must park miles away and shuttle in to campus.
Leishman explained to those in attendance that the parking department is completely self-supportive and does not receive any stand funds, tuition dollars or student fees. She asked everyone to keep that in mind when making suggestions.
Last month, the parking department starting charging those who parked in the Parking Terrace until midnight. That change was recently repealed, and the terrace now only charges those who park there until 9:30 p.m.
Vice President for Student Life and chairman of the parking committee Gary Chambers said there were many students who would park in the terrace during the day, and leave their car there until 9:30 when they could leave for free.
“That caused some concerns under the concept that everybody should pay to park on campus,” Chambers said.
When motorists were charged to park in the terrace until midnight, some raised concerns about the safety of those leaving the Fieldhouse after midnight, and potentially lower attendance at ASUSU events held in the Taggart Student Center.
Those concerns were raised again Thursday.
Leticia Neal, a senior anthropology and history major, said if students are required to pay to park in the terrace at night, the University Police should ensure that it is safe at those times.
“I’m seeing a concern for profits over people,” Neal said.
University Police Chief Steve Mecham said he did not see a connection between charging in the terrace until midnight and the safety of those who park there.
“There’s an assumption that there’s a high crime rate. Our statistics don’t bear that out,” Mecham said. “The Parking Terrace is just one of many parking lots on campus.”
Mecham said there is little difference between an individual walking out of a building at night to their car in the terrace, or to the Old Main parking lot or any other parking lot.
“There is no statistic to indicate that there is a crime program in the Parking Terrace,” Mecham said. “You’re mixing a lot of things – the issue is not crimes against persons. We have not had any crimes against persons that I can think of in that area.”
Sergeant Shane Sessions of the campus police department said crime in the parking terrace is almost always theft.
Josh Combe, a junior studying marketing and journalism, voiced support for charging in the parking terrace later than 9:30 p.m. He added that the safety concerns of some are not a big issue.
“This is Logan, not Compton [Calif.],” he said.
College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Senator Gabe White said he took offense to Combe’s statement.
“It’s Logan and not Compton until it’s your wife or your sister that’s mugged,” White said.
White said that the police might not have high statistics on crime right now, but if students were forced to park farther away from campus and had to walk there late at night, crimes against individuals could increase.
The University Police provide an escort service to students that is very under-utilized, Sessions said. The service would provide an officer escort from point A to point B for a student who requests it.
“We advocate this escort service beyond belief but yet it’s never utilized,” Sessions said. “Student’s don’t call us.”
The issue of student attendance at activities was also addressed after Academic Vice President Karla Petty said some students may shy away from the events if they had to pay for parking.
Combe said that is not an issue either.
“Attendance at activities is a concern and I understand that. I feel that if the quality of the activity is high, people will pay,” he said. “Students have to pay to park at athletic events, but people will pay, or walk.”
Leishman said the committee will work to keep the best interests of everyone in mind, noting that additional revenues need to be raised to take care of “deferred maintenance” in the parking structure.
Leishman said the terrace is still safe, but needs to be brought up to seismic code and have some other maintenance performed to ensure it stays safe.
“The terrace is putting at least $70,000 a year towards its repair and replacement account,” Leishman said.
Facilities has estimated it could cost upwards of $1 million to perform all of the maintenance, she said.
-str@cc.usu.edu