COLUMN: The two sides of parking
POINT
It’s very pathetic and depressing when the highlight of a university student’s day is finding a parking space they rightfully deserve and should expect.
Students and faculty are told to bear with the parking problem. It’s been time all year for Parking Services to cope with the students and faculty. Parking offers nothing but a headache. Students are becoming more and more angry at the current situation.
“If I were to swear, Parking would be the reason why,” said Jakob Weierman, a senior majoring in graphic arts.
Broden Howell, a disabled junior majoring in art, said, “USU parking – grab your ankles and prepare for a paddling [because] even people with handicapped parking have to fight for spots.”
A recent survey showed more than half the residents using the on-campus housing lots would prefer assigned parking. Something needs to be done for the suffering students. Some residents of Merrill, Greaves, Reeder and Moen Halls bought worthless parking permits.
How can this be said? Let’s quickly do the Parking Services’ math. There are currently 180 stalls and 225 permits were sold. Those who spent money on these extra parking permits deserve a refund because according to the infamous math, 45 people per day are left with a car and no place to park it. Where are they to park? The Quad?
“I have to walk to Smith’s so I don’t lose my parking spot,” said Ryan Weast, an undeclared freshman.
COUNTERPOINT
It is only fair to hear the other side of the parking issue, so I met with the Chief of Police Steve Mecham, the enforcement supervisor Sgt. Shane Sessions and the office manager Teresa Johnson and here’s their story.
When I asked them about parking tickets, I found that nine anonymous student “Enforcement Officers” are hired and trained to give out tickets. Once the ticket is written, the car owner has three options, pay it, appeal it or refuse to pay resulting in a university hold on transcripts and information.
Contrary to popular belief, “Enforcement officers do not have quotas,” Johnson said.
If students choose to appeal the ticket, good luck. The appeals process begins with paperwork, and after the appeals form is filled out describing the extenuating circumstance, you must make an appointment with the “Appeals Officer.”
After a few days, the ticket can be denied, reduced or changed to a warning. If a further appeal is necessary, more paperwork and an appointment with the Chief of Police is required. The staff is available to work out any problem and talk with students to address their concerns.
According to the USU Parking and Transportation Services Web site, www.usu.edu/parking, 946 appeals were made last year from a total of 18,000 tickets issued. A national study on fines, tickets and warnings showed USU issues less than other universities.
Sessions said an appeal is like getting a speeding ticket where the individual is given the opportunity to present their case to a judge. The judge or appeals officer then asks the question, “What will the person learn from this citation?” This is done in hopes that the offender will learn from a mistake and the police officers will feel comfortable knowing the person will not be a further problem.
The Web site also shows that for the year 2001, parking fines totaled $169,975, not to mention the $348,778 collected from parking permit fees.
Although students have been worried these permit fees would outrageously increase, Mecham said the parking permit prices would not change because of the increase in tuition to mitigate the hardship already placed on students.
A parking committee, which votes on how the money for parking is spent and sets enforceable rules and regulations, is made up of students, faculty and staff. Although the half a million dollars from permit fees and citations seems like a lot of money, this money goes toward employees, repair and maintenance. Any excess money is put into a fund for a future parking structure.
Parking is not a problem according to Sessions, because he has found more than 100 parking spaces open during peak hours in the Nutrition and Food Sciences lot, the TV Radio and Satellite lot, as well as the stadium lot. Students should be planning 15 to 20 minutes to find parking because they are just not going to be able to park next to the building they desire, Sessions said, adding that any building is accessible from any lot within shuttle or walking distance.
Summer parking improvement plans include looking at the signs around campus. The goal is to re-label them appropriately to reduce confusion. For example, holidays such as Spring Break and Summer Vacation do not mean the signs and lot enforcement are null and void.
The USU Parking and Transportation Services cannot provide assigned parking for on-campus residents because citations and towing expenses will increase the rent. Housing wants to keep rent down because of off-campus housing rates. However, lotteries will be held for next year’s parking spaces.