Editorials
Parking fees: do we get our money's worth?
inda McCart
As the Fall Semester draws to a
close, commuters can again look
forward to purchasing a brand
new, bright orange parking decal
in January. Fifteen bucks is a
small price to pay for the
privilege of parking in Capitol's
modern, convenient lots for
another four months. And then
again, maybe not.
Parking lot fees do not fund
"We. found that Capitol
was getting the short.
end of the stick."
John Sheridan
1973 graduate
snow removal. In fact, the
$24,000 to $25,000 collected from
Capitol commuters per year
doesn't even stay on campus. In
stead, it is pooled into a universal
STUDENT ANO
VISITORS
- p:A...RhI'NS
*,::...:..:-..-...::"••.......
parking lot fund at University
Park. All Penn State satellite
campuses and University Park
contribute to the fund and must
request funds as needed for park
ing lot construction and repair
only.
Dr. Jerry South, director of
Student Affairs, explained the
logic behind the universal fund.
"In order to understand this
concept you have to look at the
cost of building a parking lot,
which can run approximately $6OO
per space," he said.
"It allows smaller campuses to
construct parking lots without
having to borrow money from
University Park."
Although a well kept secret,
this concept has been disputed.
In 1973, a group of concerned
commuters, outraged over the
$7.50 fee per-term to park, pro
mpted SGA to initiate a boycott
of all parking stickers.
"We found that Capitol was
getting the short end of the
stick," said John Sheridan, ac
countant, 1973 Capitol Campus
graduate and vice president of
,
' °'
,
'" ~ ,k~
~.. ~.
Photos by Jeffrey G. Shatzer
, .
,FRO
SGA at the time of the
controversy.
"You have to look at how
much is put into the system, how
much you will need to draw and
then you'll find the problem."
According to Sheridan a major
flaw in the universal fund concept
is the large commuter population
attending Capitol Campus. If this
is then compared to a much lower
percentage of commuters who at
tend University Park, who thus
contribute a proportionately lower
amount to the fund, the im
balance becomes much clearer.
University Park must repair and
construct parking lots for faculty
and visitors who are not required
to purchase a parking sticker, and
that money must be drawn from
the universal fund.
On March 8, 1973 the Capitol
Campus Reader (1973 student
publication) reported that SGA
passed a resolution calling for a
boycott of the $7.50 term fee.
Sheridan initiated the proposal
text:
"Be it resolved that no student,
resident or commuter be required
to purchase a sticker. Citations
would be reimbursed by the SGA
office..."
It was reported that Sheridan
said he took such drastic action
after having consulted George
Dressler (administrative officer at
the time) about a possible reduc
tion of the fee. Sheridan quoted
Dressler as saying there was no
way the fee could be changed
prior to the fall term of 1973, due
to Penn State bureaucracy.
However, Dressler proved
wrong in round one against
Capitol commuters.
A week later, C.C. Reader
reported that provost Robert E.
McDermott, faced with the threat
of a boycott, decided to reduce
the fee to one dollar. He said that
he had agreed for a long time
that the fee was' too high and
took such action to call attention
to University Park authorities.
Upon hearing McDermott's
decree of the fee cut, SGA voted
to stop the boycott.
But the buck-a-sticker sale did
PENN STATE
~••1
- k
...
11
... R •
e• , 9 9
.. •
, 9 • .. 9, , • •
:' ', Y ; s .' ''''' l l'''. ' '
9 •
~ ,
}B3:
No, 01321
REAR
not last long.
Said Sheridan,"Because we
made such an issue over the mat
ter, they agreed to put it under
study and reduce the fee to one
dollar, but after we graduated, it
went right back up."
Ten years and fourteen dollars
later, the parking lot variables re
main virtually unchanged, with
the exception of maybe an extra
variable. We share our parking
lot with Fruehauf Trucking.
An observant commuter may
notice the dozen or more cars
parked in the rear of the lot
behind the Olmsted Building. The
cars are owned by visitors and or
employees of Fruehauf Trucking.
They, however, are not required
to purchase a sticker.
"...you have to look at
the cost of building• a
parking lot, which can
run approximately $6OO
per space."
Dr. Jerry South
Director, Student Affairs
Head of Police Services Chuck
Aleksy explained that we have an
agreement with Fruehauf.
"They can use our lot and we
can use theirs when we need it,"
he said.
But this may not be a smart
business venture for Capitol.
Aleksy said that he had only
seen the lots filled twice since he
came to Capitol in 1975. Once, he
recalled, was when the Nittany
Lions landed at the Harrisburg
International Airport.
He later said,"Personally, I
would like to see the money stay
here at Capitol." So would I.
But it doesn't. Isn't it a shame
that 1973 commuters lost round
two against Penn State
burueaucracy?
Page 7
..•
• •