Students dodging parking enforcers now have one more reason to not park illegally - it’ll cost them even more.
The MSU Board of Trustees voted unanimously at its meeting Friday to accept the All University Traffic Committee’s recommendations to increase citations on campus.
The rates will add $5 to existing fines for spaces with meters or faculty privileges. For example, a $20 fine - the price paid for parking illegally in faculty spots or on campus streets between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. - would boost to $25. The largest jump will be for illegally parking in accessible/handicap spots - rising from $50 to $100.
“I felt confident that the information gathered by the AUTC and was brought to the board as to the necessity to raising fines would give them the information that would support their decision,” said Michael Rice, deputy chief of Parking and Safety for the Department of Police and Public Safety Rice said he expects the public will be understanding.
“The fact that they have not been raised since 1985 is fairly hard to argue with,” he said. “The overall goal is not to raise revenue - it’s to reduce the overall number of citations of campus.”
But not everyone understands. Child development junior Heather Gartrell says she plans to keep parking illegally if necessary.
“It’s crazy that they are raising tickets seeing that they don’t even have enough parking around here,” she said. “And being I live off campus, I’m going to have to park there anyway.
“The increase won’t stop me and it is just a risk I’ll take.”
And Angela Lowery, an education junior, who received a ticket recently, is also against the raise of prices.
“It is really ridiculous and they make enough money at this university,” she said. “Rates should stay the same.”
Board of Trustees Chairperson Colleen McNamara said the board likely voted to raise the prices because of different reasons, including the problem parking has become.
“It was clear that parking was getting out of hand,” she said. “The critical mass of faculty, guests and students who drive round and round trying to teach and meet appointments has gotten to point where something has to be done.”
McNamara said while there is a long range parking solution that is part of Vision 2020 - MSU’s vision for the future - there were certain problems that immediately “needed to be pushed.”
“This is an attempt to get a start or a hold on this problem,” she said. “But we clearly have a long way to go.”
