Every August students voice their frustrations with the high parking permit costs and the low number of spots available, but they might find their frustrations misplaced.
OU’s student parking permit costs $195 for a full academic year. While this may seem like a large amount of money, the cost might be easier to swallow once permit prices are put into perspective with the rest of the prices in the Big 12 Conference.
OU is the fourth cheapest school in the Big 12 when it comes to parking, and students will not see a rise in prices next year, said Kris Glenn, parking services spokesman. The numbers are based off parking prices from the 2008-2009 school year.
“This is something that OU parking prides itself on,” he said. “This will be the fifth consecutive year that permit prices will not increase.”
The most expensive school in the Big 12 is the University of Texas, which currently reports commuter lot permits to be as much as $602, and residence hall garage permits as much as $743. Texas A&M is another school at the top of the price list, with students paying up to $660 for a garage permit. Students at the University of Nebraska pay $450 per permit.
The University of Missouri, Iowa State University and Oklahoma State University are the only schools cheaper than OU in the Big 12, with OSU ranked as the cheapest.
OSU’s prices may seem unfair to OU students, but there is a reason its permits are just under $50. OSU’s lots are lower quality, with unpaved gravel lots miles away from campus, Glenn said. OU’s lots are higher quality and much closer to campus.
Students at OU have long complained about the lack of available parking, but the numbers show that spaces are reasonably available to students.
There are 10,033 parking spots on campus that require permits. More than 11,000 permits have been sold since Feb. 3, which is more than the amount of spaces needed, as not everyone is on campus at the same time, said Chase Roberts, UOSA director of off-campus living and transportation, in an e-mail to Amanda Holloway, UOSA president and advertising and marketing senior.
OU students, faculty and staff have lobbied for more parking garages on campus, an obvious solution to the problem. But building parking garages can get pricey.
If OU were to build a new parking garage, it could be between $3,000 and $3,500 per spot if OU owned the land. If OU did not own the land, it could end up costing $10,000 per spot, said Roberts, entrepreneurship and finance senior.
If the $195 is still out of question for students, OU offers parking permits that are valid after 3:30 p.m. only. While the hours are later and do not include the evening, the price is much cheaper and will remain at $25.90 for the rest of this semester, while regular permits for the remainder of the 2009-2010 school year are $73.20.
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kellygt 3 years, 2 months ago
I don't know where Kris Glenn parked at on OSU's campus, but I never saw a gravel parking lot or had to park miles away from campus when I attended OSU three years ago. The parking lots where on campus and every single one was paved. I usually could get a parking spot outside of my dorm, and when I couldn't park there, I only had to walk maybe 5 blocks to my dorm because they have overflow parking next to the dorms.
Screwdriver 2 years, 9 months ago
Wow, could we suck up to the administration any more? $195 is a lot of money, okay, especially for a working student. And coming in fourth is not that great (they don't even give fourth place medals to athletes in middle school); "fourth cheapest" is nothing to brag about, especially when we're talking about twelve other schools, most of which are nowhere near OU's level in terms of students served or prestige. So, with all due respect Clark Foy, speak for yourself. That's one thing to think about.
Another is that there is almost zero value for that enormous parking fee. Classes have started yet again, and yet again this school has not provided nearly enough parking even for commuters! I guess the powers that be here are just waiting for all the students who only show up during Howdy Week to stop coming to class, just like many of us are, so that serious students won't have to be late from driving around for 1 1/2 hours looking for a parking spot. It's an absolute outrage, and yet again, OU ignores this ongoing problem.
And yet again, we have another puff piece from the Daily sucking up instead of reporting real news. Big surprise. This publication is pathetic!
You have a quote RIGHT THERE from one of them saying there is not enough parking "because uh, nom nom, students don't go to classes at the same time." Yeah, we don't all try to go to class at 10:30 in the morning to meet some stupid gen ed requirement that's only offered at that time.
Brilliant, folks. Ed Murrow would be proud!
ouparent 2 years, 4 months ago
It's ridiculous that we have to pay $195 for parking permits when there is not enough parking spaces. My daughter is constantly receiving tickets because there aren't any places for her to park...or she has to park in spaces that are metered and has to pay. She leaves for class 30-45 minutes early because it takes her so long to try to find a place to park or park so far away that she has to walk miles to get to class.