I understand that in order for our campus to grow we must generate funds, but this massive increase in parking pass prices is absurd. If this is a must, then at least steadily increase the price year-to-year as opposed to slapping everyone with a huge markup all at once.
C
Carolyn
10 years ago
I already pay for the fitness center and I don't use it. I also pay for parking and I don't use that either. They want to jack up the price of something some people don't need because they get dropped off and picked up. I already have to pay for gas out of my pocket going both ways everyday.
A
Anonymous
10 years ago
It's crazy to think that I live just 50 feet from one of the areas zoned for a $90+ parking pass. If this whole idea does go into effect, I will be walking to all of my classes and more than likely be late to all of them (not of my own choosing).
A
Amanda Peppers
10 years ago
Students already pay close to $4k a semester for full-time classes. This already includes fees that aren't used by some students, like PO box or the fitness center (I use neither). If I am already paying that much money just for the "privilege" to attend this school, I shouldn't have to also pay to park on campus. To me that seems like being double charged. I'm paying for an education and paying to be on campus to obtain that education. These are reasons so many people are going to online classes, so they don't have to deal with these issues.
A
Andrew York
10 years ago
This is an outrage.
A
Anonymous
10 years ago
Against
A
Anonymous
10 years ago
A 400% increase in parking fees for no guarantee of a parking space (assuming you are selling parking stickers at a 2:1 ratio per space) is outrageous. This is a huge quality of life issue for those of us who arrive on campus past 9 a.m. when spots will be taken, and who have out-of-work responsibilities which require us to leave at lunch. If I have to spend 20 minutes on a shuttle at lunch to get to my car, how am I supposed to get anything accomplished? You're not only stealing from my wallet, you're stealing my valuable time.
M
Misty Brown
10 years ago
The most upsetting aspect of this is that the administration did not consult the students, faculty, or staff about this proposed plan. In addition, the rates of $155 for "internal" parking and $93 for "outer" parking are -in addition to- the fees we currently pay. So for staff that means $175 for "internal" and $113 for "outer" parking. And I am guessing that this still does not guarantee that we will have a parking space.
A simple solution would be to charge for parking based on salary. Claire Stinson makes 200K a year. I think she can easily afford to pay a little more than those making less than 25K a year. As for the students, I think they pay quite enough for their education as it is.
They have known parking was an issue since I was a freshman in 2000. They could have raised parking rates incrementally then, installed parking meters in certain areas, and they would not have to place such an undue burden on the faculty, staff, and students. And to compare us to other universities like UTK or UTC when they talk about how cheap these new rates are is ludicrous. Those cities have public parking lots and reliable public transportation. We have neither of those things. As far as Ms. Stinson's belief that a shuttle can make it across Willow Avenue traffic, around campus during high flow hours when it will have to stop constantly for students crossing the road, and get back to outer parking in SEVEN minutes is absurd. Anyone who has ever had to drive around campus looking for parking (clearly not her) knows better than that. It takes seven minutes just to get from one end of Dixie Ave. to the other during busy hours.
We haven't had a real raise in years, and the 1% raise we got last year was consumed by the increased cost of insurance. Even if we get another 1% raise this year, for most that won't even cover the cost of parking.
Administration has either never had to live paycheck to paycheck, or they've forgotten how hard it can be. I would hate to thi
T
Teresa Queener
10 years ago
It is an extremely high amount to have to pay to park. I think the whole university should have been included on this decision. Faculty should be paying more than staff and students. I don't know how Tech expects the students to pay that much on parking. If they have to park in the orange areas, it is more likely they will be late to their classes. We need to help the students out as much as possible, not cause them more problems. Please try to come up with another solution to the parking problem.
D
Dianne Klein
10 years ago
I do well to keep food on my table at my salary. I never thought I would have to choose between groceries for the month or paying for parking at work!
S
Sharon Buckner
10 years ago
The current rates for parking permits are :
$50 for Faculty/Administrative;
$20 for Clerical/Support; and
in the General Access Fee for Students. If rates are increased, they should at least be graduated according to classification. For C & S, the proposed fee is a 675 percent increase! For faculty, the proposed fee is a 200 percent increase!
K
Kaylee Masiongale
10 years ago
The proposed idea is quite ridiculous. I would rather deal with the parking we have now than have this to happen.
A
Anonymous
10 years ago
Way too high of a price for 99% of college students. Do not change this!
B
Brandyn Crum
10 years ago
This is ignorant. Stop finding ways to make me pay more to go to a mediocre university.
L
Linda
10 years ago
Tuition is already eating their pockets, why charge them to park so they can get a education?
J
Joseph Tippit
10 years ago
DUN DO DIS PLZ. Y U RU IN MUH PRKN PLAISES
B
Brady Allred
10 years ago
This is ridiculous. There needs to be 2 lot colors. One for students and one for admin, faculty, etc. Sure, raise rates 20% to ensure I'll find a spot everyday, but not 400%.
A
Anonymous
10 years ago
This is BS. They are asking employees that make $18,000 to pay the same as the VP making $300,000. Are they giving the employees pay increases to offset this large jump. Right now they cannot decide if they will let employees pay it over time. If they don't, the employees on the lower end of the pay scale will have to fork out almost 10% of their take home pay in one month.
A
Anonymous
10 years ago
There's a very important detail that everyone seems to be missing. I attended the open forum today with President Oldham and Dr. Stinson. The $155 fee (or $93 fee for perimeter parking) is ON TOP OF current parking fees.
• Faculty/Admin Staff: current fee ($50) + new fee ($155) = $205
• Clerical & Support Staff: current fee ($20) + new fee ($155) = $175
• Students: current fee ($20) + new fee ($155) = $175
And the fee increases $15 per year for the next 8 years. For the perimeter lot, the fee increases $9 per year for the next 8 years.
They don't need to raise its already high enough
I understand that in order for our campus to grow we must generate funds, but this massive increase in parking pass prices is absurd. If this is a must, then at least steadily increase the price year-to-year as opposed to slapping everyone with a huge markup all at once.
I already pay for the fitness center and I don't use it. I also pay for parking and I don't use that either. They want to jack up the price of something some people don't need because they get dropped off and picked up. I already have to pay for gas out of my pocket going both ways everyday.
It's crazy to think that I live just 50 feet from one of the areas zoned for a $90+ parking pass. If this whole idea does go into effect, I will be walking to all of my classes and more than likely be late to all of them (not of my own choosing).
Students already pay close to $4k a semester for full-time classes. This already includes fees that aren't used by some students, like PO box or the fitness center (I use neither). If I am already paying that much money just for the "privilege" to attend this school, I shouldn't have to also pay to park on campus. To me that seems like being double charged. I'm paying for an education and paying to be on campus to obtain that education. These are reasons so many people are going to online classes, so they don't have to deal with these issues.
This is an outrage.
Against
A 400% increase in parking fees for no guarantee of a parking space (assuming you are selling parking stickers at a 2:1 ratio per space) is outrageous. This is a huge quality of life issue for those of us who arrive on campus past 9 a.m. when spots will be taken, and who have out-of-work responsibilities which require us to leave at lunch. If I have to spend 20 minutes on a shuttle at lunch to get to my car, how am I supposed to get anything accomplished? You're not only stealing from my wallet, you're stealing my valuable time.
The most upsetting aspect of this is that the administration did not consult the students, faculty, or staff about this proposed plan. In addition, the rates of $155 for "internal" parking and $93 for "outer" parking are -in addition to- the fees we currently pay. So for staff that means $175 for "internal" and $113 for "outer" parking. And I am guessing that this still does not guarantee that we will have a parking space. A simple solution would be to charge for parking based on salary. Claire Stinson makes 200K a year. I think she can easily afford to pay a little more than those making less than 25K a year. As for the students, I think they pay quite enough for their education as it is. They have known parking was an issue since I was a freshman in 2000. They could have raised parking rates incrementally then, installed parking meters in certain areas, and they would not have to place such an undue burden on the faculty, staff, and students. And to compare us to other universities like UTK or UTC when they talk about how cheap these new rates are is ludicrous. Those cities have public parking lots and reliable public transportation. We have neither of those things. As far as Ms. Stinson's belief that a shuttle can make it across Willow Avenue traffic, around campus during high flow hours when it will have to stop constantly for students crossing the road, and get back to outer parking in SEVEN minutes is absurd. Anyone who has ever had to drive around campus looking for parking (clearly not her) knows better than that. It takes seven minutes just to get from one end of Dixie Ave. to the other during busy hours. We haven't had a real raise in years, and the 1% raise we got last year was consumed by the increased cost of insurance. Even if we get another 1% raise this year, for most that won't even cover the cost of parking. Administration has either never had to live paycheck to paycheck, or they've forgotten how hard it can be. I would hate to thi
It is an extremely high amount to have to pay to park. I think the whole university should have been included on this decision. Faculty should be paying more than staff and students. I don't know how Tech expects the students to pay that much on parking. If they have to park in the orange areas, it is more likely they will be late to their classes. We need to help the students out as much as possible, not cause them more problems. Please try to come up with another solution to the parking problem.
I do well to keep food on my table at my salary. I never thought I would have to choose between groceries for the month or paying for parking at work!
The current rates for parking permits are : $50 for Faculty/Administrative; $20 for Clerical/Support; and in the General Access Fee for Students. If rates are increased, they should at least be graduated according to classification. For C & S, the proposed fee is a 675 percent increase! For faculty, the proposed fee is a 200 percent increase!
The proposed idea is quite ridiculous. I would rather deal with the parking we have now than have this to happen.
Way too high of a price for 99% of college students. Do not change this!
This is ignorant. Stop finding ways to make me pay more to go to a mediocre university.
Tuition is already eating their pockets, why charge them to park so they can get a education?
DUN DO DIS PLZ. Y U RU IN MUH PRKN PLAISES
This is ridiculous. There needs to be 2 lot colors. One for students and one for admin, faculty, etc. Sure, raise rates 20% to ensure I'll find a spot everyday, but not 400%.
This is BS. They are asking employees that make $18,000 to pay the same as the VP making $300,000. Are they giving the employees pay increases to offset this large jump. Right now they cannot decide if they will let employees pay it over time. If they don't, the employees on the lower end of the pay scale will have to fork out almost 10% of their take home pay in one month.
There's a very important detail that everyone seems to be missing. I attended the open forum today with President Oldham and Dr. Stinson. The $155 fee (or $93 fee for perimeter parking) is ON TOP OF current parking fees. • Faculty/Admin Staff: current fee ($50) + new fee ($155) = $205 • Clerical & Support Staff: current fee ($20) + new fee ($155) = $175 • Students: current fee ($20) + new fee ($155) = $175 And the fee increases $15 per year for the next 8 years. For the perimeter lot, the fee increases $9 per year for the next 8 years.