Parking pass prices to increase in the fall
Natalie Costantino
Issue date: 4/2/09 Section: News
Many businesses and universities have recently been making budget cuts in various areas because of the current state of the economy. At UNCW, tuition is increasing, professors are being let go, and now students and remaining faculty have another expense to worry about as parking pass prices are set to increase for the 2009-2010 school year.
Prices are moving from $270, the current academic year price, to $300 for students, faculty and staff on-campus parking in commuter zones one and two.
Parking pass prices already increased from the 2007-2008 to 2008-2009 school year from $245 to $270.
The new parking deck, set to open fall 2009, will cost $360 to park for one year.
Rita Gordon, the director of auxiliary services, said there are many reasons for the parking pass hike in the upcoming years and they do not necessarily include the current state of the economy.
Gordon said, "We had a three-year increasing schedule and the board of trustees had to approve it."
Gordon said the added money will be used to make improvements with parking, including painting parking lots, putting up more visitor meters, pavement costs and personnel costs, which specifically include hiring security officers for parking lots to add safety.
Sophomore Brienna Krucke said, "Security is fine but they [auxiliary services] shouldn't have to increase the price of parking passes because they already make a lot of money."
Gordon explained that the increase in parking pass prices is the only main revenue that auxiliary services receives from students for the up-keep of parking lots and personnel costs.
"If we are earning money from students, it goes towards parking," Gordon said.
Gordon wants to counter the assumption that auxiliary service personnel act as "ticket writing Nazis." She explained that the state of North Carolina rules that all parking ticket monies go to the K-12 Public School System for parking improvements and only 17 percent goes to auxiliary services. This means that for a $100 ticket, Auxiliary Services only makes $17 and the rest goes to the Public School System.
Prices are moving from $270, the current academic year price, to $300 for students, faculty and staff on-campus parking in commuter zones one and two.
Parking pass prices already increased from the 2007-2008 to 2008-2009 school year from $245 to $270.
The new parking deck, set to open fall 2009, will cost $360 to park for one year.
Rita Gordon, the director of auxiliary services, said there are many reasons for the parking pass hike in the upcoming years and they do not necessarily include the current state of the economy.
Gordon said, "We had a three-year increasing schedule and the board of trustees had to approve it."
Gordon said the added money will be used to make improvements with parking, including painting parking lots, putting up more visitor meters, pavement costs and personnel costs, which specifically include hiring security officers for parking lots to add safety.
Sophomore Brienna Krucke said, "Security is fine but they [auxiliary services] shouldn't have to increase the price of parking passes because they already make a lot of money."
Gordon explained that the increase in parking pass prices is the only main revenue that auxiliary services receives from students for the up-keep of parking lots and personnel costs.
"If we are earning money from students, it goes towards parking," Gordon said.
Gordon wants to counter the assumption that auxiliary service personnel act as "ticket writing Nazis." She explained that the state of North Carolina rules that all parking ticket monies go to the K-12 Public School System for parking improvements and only 17 percent goes to auxiliary services. This means that for a $100 ticket, Auxiliary Services only makes $17 and the rest goes to the Public School System.
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