The beginning of the 2011-2012 academic year at Plymouth State University brought about new regulations involving guest parking on campus. As of this semester, guests who wish to park their cars overnight must pay the price.
The new costs for having a guest stay for one night, one weekend, or one week are $5, $8, and $20, respectively.
Many students feel like the new price of parking is just another way for PSU to take money out of their pockets. “I feel like if you are paying twenty thousand dollars a year to go here, you should be able to have a guest for free,” says Alex Hollatz, a junior English major.
Other students have had other problems just figuring out the online component. “It’s screwed up. We have to pay and do it all online. My printer ended up not working, and I couldn’t print it out,” says Kristyn Setterstrom, a senior nursing major.
For as long as everyone can remember, guests were able to park for free. Some students are curious as to where this money is going and why it is needed in the first place. Are we being burdened? Or are we paying a small price for a highly beneficial service?
The new guest parking system has been a source of frustration for many students who complain about the new cost of guest permits, but the system itself is actually more convenient. Last year, getting a permit involved standing in line outside the police station, usually in the cold, until precisely 10:00 p.m., when free guest permits were issued.
These permits were free, but were issued rather inconveniently, especially for students whose guests could not arrive until after these passes were given. Now, though students have to pay, they are able to get a pass at any time and can print out the pass right from their own computer.
“It (guest parking) has been free forever, and I don’t know the reason behind (charging for) it, but we’re trying to make it fair. The Police Department started the conversation about charging for temporary parking and I had to look at my budget to see where we could cut costs. Last year we spent $2,000 just on printing permits and we decided that instead of spending all that money, why not make it the most convenient for the customer? Some students are upset about the price, but this price doesn’t apply during the day,” says Chief Doyle of the University Police Department.
Though students are upset about the cost, it is much easier to click a few buttons on your laptop to get a pass, than to have to hunt down your C.A. or wait in line at the UPD station just to get a permit.
“We have gotten a lot of good feedback. For example, if you had a guest come at 2:00 a.m. (last year), you would have to use the emergency phone and wait until an officer came, and that could take awhile if he was tied up. Now, you can go right on your computer at home and don’t have to run around,” says Chief Doyle. “We just wanted to make this as simple and convenient as possible for students.”
The new parking system cuts out the middle man and allows students to receive passes quicker and easier, at whatever time is best for them. Students can now buy permits in advance, and many already used this option during homecoming weekend.
Chief Doyle urges students who have parking issues to talk to Student Senate and speak up. “It is important that students take every opportunity to get questions and concerns to the Parking Committee so that we can try our best to make them happy,” he said. “We keep working on parking and we need Senate to be active in the Parking Committee. They made really great suggestions last year.” The first parking meeting is still to be announced, but will be held in early October.