This is ridiculous.
The parking situation on campus — already worsened by delayed construction projects — got even more asinine this fall.
Starting today, you will be ticketed if you park in one of Lloyd Noble Center’s 4,100 no-longer-free parking spots. Every section, save one on the north side of the parking lot, now requires a commuter or evening parking permit.
For students who often use the CART services offered from Lloyd Noble Center to the South Oval, this is not good news. In the past, you could avoid paying $195 for a commuter permit – or the $25 ticket for parking in the wrong spot on campus – and ride for free.
Why the change?
According to SoonerSports.com’s Lloyd Noble Center page, there are 4,707 parking spots avaliable.
Now, there are about 600 free spots.
That means roughly 87 percent of parking at Lloyd Noble Center has been snatched by OU Parking Services.
That’s not OK with us.
In an e-mail to The Daily, parking services spokeswoman Vicky Holland said, “The reason permits are now required at the Lloyd Noble Center is that OU Parking Services, in an effort not to raise rates for permits, wants first to make sure everyone pays for parking.”
What kind of logic is that?
The way we see it, students pay for convenience.
Those who choose to pay the $195 and park on campus get to classes quicker than those who choose to park and ride the bus from the Lloyd Noble Center.
It seems fair.
Now, students who park at Lloyd Noble Center might be forced to pay $195 for a commuter permit.
Without a permit, every day is a gamble for students who hope there’s a free spot left.
Eight days without a parking spot means $200 in tickets, which costs more than a commuter permit.
Why did parking services feel the need to take away 4,100 spots?
Maybe they want to minimize the number of non-OU students who take advantage of Lloyd Noble Center’s plethora of parking.
If that’s the case, we suggest they issue all students a free “Lloyd Noble Center only” parking pass. This way, they can ticket non-students who take advantage of the space without penalizing students.
And, if non-students using the lot is the problem, this isn’t the way to solve it.
All this accomplishes is concentrating the number of cars in a small area and increasing the likelihood of taking money from students.
Is allowing the public to use the lot for free really a problem?
Equally frustrating is the lack of notice about these changes.
The Daily received one e-mail from parking services about the changes — Monday morning.
An e-mail several months ago would have been nice. We would still be furious, but it would have cushioned our anger.
Maybe.
The lack of notice makes it seem like parking services tried to sneak this change past students in an effort to milk us for all we’re worth.
On College Prowler, a website that allows students to review their college, OU students gave parking a C grade.
With 4,100 spots taken away without explanation, we give it an F.
The Oklahoma Daily is pleased to provide you the opportunity to share your thoughts about this article. We encourage lively debate on the issues of the day, but we ask you refrain from using profanity or other offensive speech, engaging in personal attacks or name-calling, posting advertising, or straying from the topic at hand. To comment, you must be a registered user of OUDaily.com. Thanks for taking the time to offer your thoughts.
You must be logged in to leave a comment. Log in | Register
boarder 1 year, 9 months ago
"The University of Oklahoma Parking Regulations are published annually and approved by the President for the Board of Regents for each academic year. The President of the University may revise, alter or amend these regulations when conditions warrant. The regulations are issued to each individual upon purchase of their parking permit and are also available in the Parking Office throughout the year."
http://www.ou.edu/aa/p_t_index.htm
So, did President Boren approve of this? If so, why? Since he apparently has direct authority, it would seem he could use an e-mail or two.
johanns 1 year, 9 months ago
You know, I wish there was another way to get to campus. Some sort of device that one could propel with ones legs. Probably only two wheels would be needed and it would also be very good exercise. Hmmm...
boarder 1 year, 9 months ago
Parking regulations, VII, C., 1, a. Vehicle owners riding the CART shuttle do not have to pay a permit fee or display any university permit to park in the Lloyd Noble Center parking lots.
Page 9. Parking Regulations. https://www.ou.edu/parking/parkingBooklet.pdf
Page 3, III,
"The president of the university may revise, alter or amend these regulations when conditions warrant. The text of all substantive changes will be published in The Oklahoma Daily (the student newspaper) on at least four successive days at least one week prior to implementation."
Did this happen? Four consecutive days?
"The university reserves the right to change the allocation of parking spaces when deemed necessary in view of overall university community needs, including, but not limited to, visitor parking for university special events. Temporary changes in allocation and/or in the enforcement posture relating to these regulations need not be published or otherwise publicly announced prior to implementation. The Parking Office will make a reasonable effort to notify beforehand any user group that can be anticipated to be affected by temporary changes in allocation or availability."
So, is this a temporary change? Is it really necessary for overall university community needs?
This can and should, I feel, be challenged.
tsteele 1 year, 9 months ago
Some of us don't live close enough for a bike and have to use the parking. Also paying out of state tuition takes a lot out of your pocket and paychecks. I liked being able to park there and spare the 195. The rest of the parking around campus is no better so whats it matter now really, just gotta get used to it.
kdbp1213 1 year, 9 months ago
was an undergrad at ou late 80s/early 90s. experienced the parking nightmare but not at today's level..........
so, if i attend an event at the LNC & i, non-student, lack an ou parking permit, do i get ticketed for parking in the LNC lot during the event? we're gonna have a lot of pissed off donors and fans if so................ i grew up in norman and recall when the LNC was opened. to my memory, nobody has ever paid for parking in the LNC's lot for an event or for attending class.
students should not have to pay for parking in LNC's lot. LNC's lot is off-campus. for the benefit of parking closer to one's classes (on-campus away from LNC), one agrees to pay for a commuter or evening permit. why should one have to buy a permit for parking off-campus, LNC's lot?
this not only sucks; it blows, too.
wxwatcher 1 year, 9 months ago
Special events are an exception, it says so on the signs posted. LNC is NOT off campus. It's all part of campus. As I mentioned in my comment on the article, research campus has grown, there are classes down there too!
$195 over the course of the year isn't that much. I know it's tough, but in the grand scheme of things your books are costing more.
broo0111 1 year, 9 months ago
This is absurd! I can understand tuiton going up for this current academic year, but now parking permits! Its not like the University of Oklahoma already "nickels and dimes" the OU students enough. Lets make the Board of Regeants pay an extra $195. Oh wait, they probably already receive free parking. Or how about those free Apple Ipads they receive last spring? It seems to me that the administration at OU is widening the gap between those who already experience economic hardships. I think its time to start looking at community colleges in my opinion
Grrr 1 year, 9 months ago
Try telling a student working two jobs just to afford school that 195$ isn't a lot. It must be nice having 195$ to blow on a nearly worthless permit just to park at the place you've already spent tens of thousands just to go to.
ethios4 1 year, 9 months ago
It's absolutely ridiculous. OU should not be attempting to increase revenue by ticketing students and employees in a lot that has plenty of empty space on a daily basis. This is not the solution to budget problems!! If you want to get serious about budget problems, how about examining the wisdom of all the new buildings created from donation money so that someone can get their name on a building, but OU has to pay for the massive utilities and upkeep these buildings create without a proportional increase in enrollment? Yes, those buildings help pull in new students and increase the prestige of the university, but having an abominable and exploitative parking situation pushes students and faculty away. Maybe someone should donate the money to build a couple of new parking garages, but I guess a parking garage is not quite so glamorous is it?
maelzo 1 year, 9 months ago
This just isn't right. I'm the same pool as so many others. I can't afford to spend the extra money. I'd love to ride a bike to school but I live in Moore. At the very least why can't OU offer a super cheap permit that is only valid for LNC? Say $30. What are the odds of the Daily or someone else organizing a large protest on this one. And a real protest, not a hacky-sack circle on the south oval.
cmcnabb 1 year, 9 months ago
Nothing has changed for those riding the bus to main campus from LNC, it is still FREE. What seems to be the problem? The rules clearly state that, "Vehicle owners riding the CART shuttle do not have to pay a permit fee or display any university permit to park in the Lloyd Noble Center parking lots." All Parking Services did was clarify where those that use the shuttle can park, those parking at LNC that are not using the shuttle can park anywhere they want as long as they have a permit. If there is an issue with not enough free parking for those that ride the shuttle they can add another section to the free parking. Again, nothing has changed, parking is still FREE for those riding the shuttle!
mythman 1 year, 9 months ago
They've already raised tuition and started charging for parking at MedFair, where's all that money going that they need to charge even more?
oujester 1 year, 9 months ago
So, first I'm confused at how this is even legal for "parking services" to do. It was my understanding that LNC, and its parking lot were property of the OU Athletic Department, which is a separate entity, no? Anyway, even as fishy as that seems, its not as bad as how poorly planned this is.
My open question to parking services is this: what are you going to do on gamedays? Specifically for basketball? Or worse even, in the spring when baseball season starts and people are parking there to go to an active university event? This is just dumb.
ougirlvet 1 year, 9 months ago
Here is the issue, in an effort to be more economical, green, and help with the parking issue LNC parking came about. Now, who is going to park in LNC when they have to pay $195.00? They will all park anywhere on campus, as they have every right to now as they pay the commuter fee. This means there isn't going to be enough parking in general. Those of us who choose to pay $195.00 to park closer to our classes pay for that privilege, and those who chose to park at LNC should not have to pay that insane amount to park and ride. There is simply no logic in this mess. The first two days of classes I spent over two hours each day searching for parking and fighting traffic Hey student representation, fix this issue!
TheJR 1 year, 9 months ago
Let's get some perspective here. The prices aren't incredibly high as it is. I'd rather have this solution than double parking permit prices. Reminds me of this article a while back.
OU parking permit price fourth-lowest in Big 12 by Clark Foy
SoonerTexan88 1 year, 9 months ago
This is ridiculous!
For anyone looking for cheap and close parking:
Sooners For Christ (just south of the Wesley at Lindsey & Elm) sells GUARANTEED spot permits for only $65 semester. Did that for 6 semesters--great deal and nice people.
St. Thomas More on Jenkins also sells permits at a reasonable price.
The Wesley does as well, but I think they are $300--but again, a guaranteed spot.
There is also a church on Elm that sells a few spots every semester.
Much better deal than OU Parking.