Aug. 1 marks a new era of parking at the University of Missouri. Tiered parking, updated shuttle systems with more stops and extra parking options will be added. The changes have been met with mixed reactions from students.
MU is putting this new system in place after criticism from students and faculty about the lack of flexible parking options there currently are, MU spokesperson Travis Zimpfer said.
These alterations will also increase revenue for MU.
“In the long-term, the increased revenues will allow us to meet our deferred maintenance needs, which means less risk of garage closures in the future,” Zimpfer said.
MU has not increased its permit fees in 14 years. The new model is currently predicted to make $3.5 million in revenue which will be enough to address the deferred maintenance for the next 10 years according to the Parking and Transportation guide.
Earlier this year, MU’s Conley Avenue Parking Structure closed indefinitely after cables in the floors were deemed unsafe. MU believes these maintenance repairs will help create more safe and reliable infrastructures.
Tiered parking was determined based on the location and convenience they hold on the MU campus.
The most expensive option available to students is Tier 1 at $315 per semester. This option includes the parking structures of Conley Avenue, Tiger Avenue, Turner Avenue and Virginia Avenue, according to the Parking and Transportation guide.
Students who pay the semester rate will be able to park in one structure of their choosing based on the availability. Priority choosing will be given to faculty, then graduate students, then undergraduates.
Tier 3 has a rate of $100 per semester and Tier 4 will have rates of $50 per semester.
One student said Tier 1 is more expensive. Hannah Swanson, a first-year student at MU, said she paid about $140 to park at Virginia Avenue.
Swanson believes that MU should take into consideration all of the other expenses students pay for.
“I think that’s insane,” Swanson said. “That’s so inconvenient and honestly not fair to incoming freshmen whenever I only had to pay $140 but now they have to pay $315.”
Similarly, after announcements were made of this new program, some commenters on Facebook and Reddit were not impressed.
“Mizzou making faculty and staff pay for parking is ridiculous,” one Facebook commenter said.
“They are squeezing the last possible dime from staff,” another commenter said on a Reddit post.
However, one commenter from Reddit understands MU’s decision.
“Paying for your parking is extremely standard in most cities that have a downtown with limited space,” the commenter said. “This is not the only town or university that does that.”
Zimpfer said that MU understands pricing concerns, but stressed that the prices are still relatively affordable in comparison to other SEC schools.
Online sales to purchase a parking permit for the summer begin at 9 a.m. on May 12. Students can purchase permits through their parking account and visit parking.missouri.edu for more information.
Edited by Maya Dawson | mdawson@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Ava Mohror | amohror@themaneater.com
Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com
