Parking Terrace to charge until 9:30 p.m.
Student input on the Parking Terrace issue has resulted in the times motorists are being charged for parking in the structure being changed, at least temporarily.
Beginning Sept. 2, motorists were charged for parking in the terrace until midnight. Students voiced concerns over safety issues, particularly among females, leaving the Fieldhouse late at night. Parking and Transportation Services listened, and for the time being, the terrace will only charge those who park there until 9:30 p.m.
University Police Chief Steve Mecham, Director of Parking and Transporation Services Lisa Leishman, Assistant Vice President of Administrative Services Paul Sampson and Assistant Vice President of Student Life Gary Chambers met Thursday with Associated Students of USU officers Duke Di Stefano, Les Essig, Karla Petty and Ashley Stolworthy to discuss the changes.
“We talked about where the communication problem was in the beginning when they decided to raise the parking fees,” Stolworthy said. “We were concerned as students that they didn’t consult everyone.”
Essig, the ASUSU student advocate, said a meeting with the parking committee had been scheduled for Oct. 2, and students need to show up to that meeting to have their voices be heard.
Leishman and Mecham were unavailable for comment Friday afternoon, but Stolworthy said it was discussed in the meeting that the parking terrace needs to raise funds to make much needed improvements to the structure to ensure it is safe.
“The parking business on campus is a business,” she said. “Tuition and stuff is going up, their prices have remained the same.”
Stolworthy said the terrace is concerned with keeping a bottom line, who as it stands at present, can’t keep their bottom line in the positive.
Essig said alternatives to raise the funds will be discussed at the Oct. 2 meeting, and anyone with any ideas for a way to raise more funds for the terrace should e-mail him at ombudsman@cc.usu.edu.
“We need to educate ourselves better about their financial situation,” Essig said.
For now, Essig said the changes to the times people are charged for parking in the terrace is a victory for everyone.
“I feel like the student voice has been heard,” he said. “I look forward to working with the parking committee.”
Essig said this issue is a perfect example of the administration listening to students after students have gone through the proper channels to voice their concerns.
-str@cc.usu.edu