Lot 29: Formerly allowed employee permits, but will now require payment 24/7 with no employee eligibility. 

Lot 33: Once temporarily open to student and visitor parking, it will again require employee permits from 6 a.m.–6 p.m. SPOT ON payment will no longer be accepted, and overnight parking from 2–6 a.m. is banned.

Lot 103/ Ramp 6: Previously mixed-use, but is now split, with upper levels reserved for employees 24/7, ground and basement levels requiring payment 24/7. 

Lot 112: Formerly eligible for employee permits, but now requires payment 7 a.m.–midnight, with no employee eligibility and no overnight parking from 2–6 a.m.  

With the addition of required payments and overnight restrictions added, the decision was made to primarily revert some lots to faculty/staff-only parking after a period of mixed use. 

According to John Prush, director of MSU’s Public Safety Operations, the changes were made based on utilization monitoring and community feedback through the All-University Traffic and Transportation Committee (AUTTC). Prush mentioned that these changes will continue to be monitored throughout the year to reassess the utilization. 

The lots undergoing changes were close to Fee Hall in East Neighborhood. Lot 33, specifically, had been a faculty-reserved parking lot, but there was temporary mixed-use parking to have visitors and student parking in the lot as well. However, Prush described that the mixed-use caused an impact on the use of the lot for faculty and other services done in Fee Hall. 

Concerning student concern of pricing and lack of parking spaces, Prush emphasized the delicate balance between the parking needs of students, faculty and visitors. This balance has been emphasized in the parking system and influences the changes the parking system undergoes. 

"We look to balance it to figure out where the demand is, where our usage needs are at, what feedback we're getting from the community and to work around those needs," Prush said. 

Costs of maintaining and operating the parking system, as well as the bond debt on parking ramps play a role with pricing changes. The parking system is self supported, with revenue generated from permits and meters to cover these costs, as well as provide a 50% revenue to the costs of operating the CATA Bus system. Increased revenue is needed to continue optimal maintenance and functionality of University parking. 

"Parking is challenging in many places in the United States," Prush said. "We are a national arboretum here at MSU, so we also like our green space and we like our community and have a walkable community."

When confronted with the idea of building more parking spaces, along with the high costs of building parking spaces (ranging from 3,000-25,000) per parking/ramp space, the environmental impact of community functions does not make that option ideal at the moment.