On Tuesday, the Board of Trustees voted to do away with Youngstown State’s parking passes in favor of a transportation fee, which will be applied to every YSU student taking more than six credit hours per semester. The fee, $115 for fall and spring semester and $58 for summer semester, will take effect beginning this fall. While this fee is less than it currently costs for parking pass — passes were $120 in spring — it is unfair to those who do not drive to YSU. There are still students who take the buses, those who carpool and those who walk from their homes and apartments.
There have been attempts in the past to prevent students from parking on streets around campus and corral them into the university-sanctioned parking areas, but they have all fallen through. So now, the higher-ups at the university have decided if they can’t get those playing — students driving to YSU — to play by their rules and pay for parking, they’re going to make everyone, even those not playing this game, pay.
Another issue that will inevitably arise is the lack of parking spaces, something that every student has and will complain about, which will now be even harder to find since students who previously fought the system and refused to buy parking passes will now be able to park freely in any of YSU’s 20 mixed parking or residence lots that are available to students on a regular basis. Even with the addition of 180 parking spaces and a new gravel lot next to the newly contructed softball field, we have to wonder if the parking spaces available will be anywhere near what is necessary to accommodate the new influx of parkers on campus.
But, there is a bright side. For those saving those precious $5 on a parking pass, here are all the things you can buy with that money:
Four regular Cool Ranch tacos A Batman car sticker 1,000 “For rectal use only” stickers 6 iPhone screen protectors One venti latte from Starbucks Two of the world’s smallest solar powered cars ($2.27 each on Amazon) A single foot-long sandwich from Subway A banana slicer Just remember, there’s always a silver lining.
3 comments Anonymous Mon Jun 10 2013 22:20 I am angry because now i have to spend my money on this even-though i paying for a bus pass anyway but since i have to pay i might as well use a parking spot for my bike. Anonymous Sat Jun 8 2013 18:33 I have literally never had an issue with finding a spot. Maybe had to drive around for five minutes. Never been late to class because of it. Dennis H. Wed Jun 5 2013 18:43 They should open up all the lots then on a first come first serve basis. If there are no special lots for faculty members this wouldn’t last long. Parking as it is now as terrible and even with them adding more spaces it isn’t going to get any better. Nice way of making it even more difficult to get to classes. I am going to have leave at least an hour earlier on a good day just to find a parking spot now. I am very angry about this.
