Parking changes to benefit students

Purdue has decided to dramatically change its parking system. After years of complaints of parking difficulties from students, the University will try a new approach.

Next semester, the price for one type of "C" permit — the garage "C" permit — will be raised, but along with the price-hike come new lot-specific rules and a promise to not oversell those lot permits as much as they were oversold this year.

Possibly the most positive change for students, though, is that their "C" permit spots will be available only for "C" permit students, not "A" and "B" permit faculty and staff members as well.

Giving students their own specific parking classification is one of the most beneficial portions of this new plan. No longer are "C" permit parking areas trying to accommodate both students and staff and faculty members who have run out of "A" and "B" permit areas to park.

Symbolically student drivers are being given some respect and it's appreciated.

Lot-specific parking will be extremely beneficial to students with classes near a specific lot. Rather than leaving for class a half an hour early to patrol a garage in search of spaces not taken up by the excess of "C" permits, students will have less stress and more free time.

If these lot-specific permits are not oversold, it should dramatically simplify parking.

Decreasing the competition for space and the need to drive all over campus looking for a parking space means that students won't have to be driving as much on campus anyway.

Yes, some students end up paying more for their parking this way. But at least they aren't paying more for the continually ineffective system of years before. The new prices are justifiable because some students who have a choice between parking out at a remote lot and not parking at all may choose to not park at all. This will bring in less parking permit income.

This encouragement not to park may have been the idea all along. Earlier this semester, Purdue announced its desire to become more of a walking campus.

Encouraging students to stay with one lot means they have to walk more or make more use of the shuttles, putting us one step closer to a walking campus.

And just like walking, the only way a Purdue walking campus will happen is one positive step at a time.

n Editorial Board: Keith Thomas, Tom McHenry, Melissa Davis and Laura Pelner.

Students should seek help for depression

Parking changes to benefit students

Martins: Comic

Railings will end fountain run tradition

Professors merit more appreciation

Grand Prix deserves more attention

OPINIONS DESK PHONE:
(765) 743-1111 ext. 256

Opinions editor:
Tom McHenry

Online Columnist Archive