Because of an increased demand for parking permits, there are about 100 fewer leftover parking spaces than last year, according to parking services.
p. Parking and Transportation Manager Bill Horatio III said parking services was trying to balance the desire for permits with the limited space and a campus design that encourages walking. He added that students should not be concerned about the lower number of extra spaces.
p. He said any given space will be used 85 to 90 percent of each year. This semester, parking services has estimated that spaces are more heavily occupied by day students Mondays and Wednesdays between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. than last year.
p. One reason for the fluctuation in parking availability is construction across campus.
p. “We take spaces away,” Horatio said. “Once the [construction] project is complete, they become available again. I don’t think we’d have day student parking problems if we had more space near Morton. When construction is done, spaces will return.”
p. Parking decal prices rose nearly 15 percent from last year for an increase from $240 to $275. While there were slight fluctuations in parking rates for faculty and staff, depending on income levels, student rates were set at $275.
p. Horatio felt the rate increase was justified.
p. “One of the responsibilities of parking services is to support itself — raise revenue for operational costs of the department itself and the maintenance of decks and lots,” he said.
p. Parking spots at Monticello Avenue’s Sentara Hospital lot have appealed to those students who are technically not allowed to have cars on campus — social sophomores with academic junior standing. Currently, parking services has sold 105 spots out of 215 available spaces, 25 of which are reserved for faculty and staff.
p.The College plans to continue maintaining the availability of parking spots and accommodating students’ needs.
p. “We do a very good job of managing utilization,” Horatio said.