COLUMN: Permit to parking ratio is getting worse
You would think that after charging students $175 for a parking permit, Central Michigan University would have enough money to provide for more parking.
I've seen the tweets and heard the complaints. The permit-to-parking-spot ratio seems completely skewed.
In addition to a ridiculous price to pay for a parking permit, the permit will only grant you access to certain lots.
I paid for a permit last year, and it wasn't worth it. Some days, I ended up driving back home instead of going to class because I couldn't find a spot.
If you live somewhat close to campus, there is no point in buying one.
Not only is the university creating revenue from the permits themselves, but they make $25 - $35 off of some of the tickets they hand out. Most of these tickets are given to students who risked it one day to drive on to campus with the hope that they wouldn't get fined.
I understand that we live in Michigan and the winters are rough, but walking and biking when the weather is still warm will save you money in the long run.
You could get seven tickets at $25 dollars each to equal one parking pass. To avoid the anxiety of walking out to a ticket on your car, save up your quarters for the meters during the winter.
One of the biggest problems I have with these parking permits isn't just the price.
Without a permit, you will get a ticket in the lots outside the Student Activity Center and the library. You shouldn't have to pay $175 on top of your tuition in order to study and stay active.
The other problem is that both of these lots have a limited amount of meters for students without a permit to put quarters in.
Even if the university can't build any more lots or doesn't have the resources to do so, at least open these lots to all students or make lots accepting of a universal permit.
After all the money we pay to get our education here, one would think there would be enough parking for the students.
I'm sure we're not the only university that has this problem, but after four years on campus, I haven't seen any new lots or changes to the permit system.
I guess students will just continue to pay an entire paycheck for a permit that might not even let them park in the lot they need.
