Exploring the parking situation on campus

New $100 parking fee added for 2006-2007

Nate Kimball Staff Writer

Sarah Brown Life Editor

In the weeks before the school year starts, Vassar freshmen are inundated with pamphlets that advise them on what to bring and what not to bring to campus. Despite the fact that the College does not recommend it, many students arrive on campus in late August with a car.

Recent parking policy changes could potentially impact students’ transportation experience. There are currently 97 freshman vehicles and 718 upperclassman vehicles registered at the College. Cars must be registered at the beginning of every school year, and are given a decal that allows students to park in designated areas overnight.

This year, freshmen have had difficulty finding a space in the New Hackensack lot and security now permits freshman overflow parking in South Lot.

The winter parking crunch has been alleviated with recently enacted spring parking rules, effective after April 1, which allow students to park their cars on designated areas of Raymond Avenue. This is not an option during the winter because of snow removal issues.

Students, with the exception of house presidents and those in senior housing, park in South Lot or the New Hackensack lot. Cars are allowed on campus between the hours of 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. daily and on the weekends, with the exception of freshman vehicles.

The Office of Finance and Administration announced on Feb. 24 that there will be a $100 per semester fee for the 2006-2007 year to bring a car to campus.
Reasons for the fees

According to Budget Director and Assistant to the Vice President for Finance and Administration David English, the parking charge was added to cover the College’s costs of maintaining parking lots.

“The fee isn’t an environmental tax,” said English. “It’s just to recoup some of the costs associated with the parking lots [including] maintenance, snow removal, and security patrols.”

Vice President of Finance and Administration Betsy Eismeier does not think that the fee will discourage students from bringing cars, and commented that “we are not anticipating a significant change in student drivers.”
Fee planned to be major change

Director of Security Don Marsala said that there are no foreseeable changes to the parking policy other than the fee.

“The parking situation right now works, with all parking lots near capacity,” said Marsala. He noted that the availability of parking on Raymond Avenue from April 1 to Nov. 15 greatly alleviates the parking crunch. Marsala sees no need to impose a limit on the number of parking permits yet and said that all students who want to bring cars will get a parking space.

If freshmen were not permitted to have cars on campus, Marsala said the current limited shuttle services to the train station and the mall would be expanded, but added that “there is no need for that now.”

Beyond Cars: Other transportation options

According to Marsala, “There are many options for students without cars.” The campus offers a shuttle to the mall on weekends and provides holiday services to train stations. However, alternate forms of transportation may pose problems for students. For example, taxis are expensive, and require that students know what time they wish to be picked up in advance. Also, Poughkeepsie has no pathways program in the downtown area, making it dangerous to ride a bike or walk on the city streets.

Some worry that fewer cars on campus and preventing freshmen from having cars could precipitate less investment and involvement with the community of Poughkeepsie, but Eismeier disagrees.

“Poughkeepsie encourages the College to minimize the impact on the surrounding areas through policies that restrict cars,” said Eismeier in reference to the overuse of town parking on Raymond and Collegeview Avenues.

Students respond to changes

Student reactions to this new cost have been mixed. Sara Weston ’07 thinks the cost is “a bit ridiculous, but I understand that the rising costs have to be met somehow.” On the other end of the spectrum, Matthew Kane ’07 described the new charge as “absurd” in light of other parking fines at the College.

The cost of a ticket at Vassar depends on the severity of the offense. After three violations, a student vehicle is put on the “ban list,” giving the College the right to tow the vehicle if it is parked on the campus property and charge it a $50 summons. Students on the “ban list” are still allowed to park in South Lot and on campus during the designated hours.

Chase Berenson ’07 has had a car on campus for his entire Vassar career. On the $100 charge, Berenson said, “I can see where it is coming from, and it is not abnormal.”

Marsala noted, “Parking policy has not changed this year, nor will it change in the foreseeable future. With rising costs to the college and with other institutions imposing charges, the $100 charge was inevitable.”

Although it may be more expensive than in the past, students will undoubtedly still bring cars to college for years to come.

Putting a price on
campus parking

Cost of annual student parking fees at selected liberal arts colleges:

Amherst.........................................$60
Bard ............................................Free
Bowdoin .......................................$40
Bryn Mawr....................................Free
Haverford......................................$30
Mount Holyoke............................$100
Skidmore.....................................$100
Vassar.........................................$100
Wesleyan......................................$50

—John Palmer, Senior Editor