As a senior at ULM, it seems that every year there is an increase in tuition and fees to cover the cost of various expenses.
Many students have shown their distaste of the increased cost.
Most would agree that some increase in tuition is necessary to lessen the load of expansion and renovations, but along with this years’ tuition increase was an increase in parking ticket prices from $10 to $50.
As a student, I feel this is ridiculous when most of the tickets that are given out are to students who live on campus.
Returning students of the spring 2012 semester are already sharing in university cost with a tuition increase over $500, not to mention the new cost to renew a parking tag.
In addition, students are charged an extra $40 per ticket to park in an area near to where we reside.
Along with increased parking ticket fees, the cost of parking tags have also increased this semester from $50 to $100.
It seems to me there should be a substantial surplus of revenue available this semester that was not last semester without the need to increase parking ticket fees.
If the university is still in need of revenue, even after tuition and fees increases on students, then methods should be aimed to target other sources rather than students to cover cost.
I understand that university police must stimulate revenue to support the department, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of students who have already shared in the cost of the university’s expenses.
University police should aim to focus on traffic violations as a means of revenue instead of increasing parking ticket prices.
It would increase traffic and pedestrian safety as well as focusing on the general traffic on campus rather than campus residents.
anonymouse • Oct 10, 2012 at 8:47 pm
For the record, I’m just a former student with no ties to them now.
Looking at the budget, they have lowered their estimated revenue from parking tickets for the past few years. Look at the FY 2013 Revenue Sources-Unrestricted & Restricted – http://www.ulm.edu/13budget/bor3.pdf
This is the first budget that clearly identifies the parking ticket revenue line item, it’s under Self-Generated Funds. This year, the school has only budgeted $247,000 for library fines, traffic tickets and interest. Going back to just FY 2010, the school made over $600,000 from those same sources.
Cebus • Sep 26, 2012 at 2:33 pm
>They, not the university police, decided that the parking fees and fines should be increased.
>The intent of the increased parking fines is to encourage proper parking and not generate revenue.
How can you speak about the intent of the new parking regulations if you admit to having no say in their creation?
>Revenue that is generated from the parking fines goes directly into the university’s general fund.
Claiming the new regulations are not about raising money just before you say the money goes directly to the university’s general fund may not be the best way to argue your point. The university has been looking for ways to raise fines on students as “correctional” measures – the parking restructuring comes just after proposed fines for dropping classes.
Raising fines on students for correctional purposes is obviously plausible deniability to mask the actual motive for enacting such policies during a time of budget cuts and fiscal crisis.
Good job, cop.
ULMPD • Sep 26, 2012 at 11:00 am
Brandon,
The ULM Parking Committee met over the summer to address the parking system. The committee is made up of faculty and staff members at the university. They, not the university police, decided that the parking fees and fines should be increased. Other university parking structures were studied before implementing the changes.
The university police does not see any of the revenue from parking fines or moving traffic violations. Revenue that is generated from the parking fines goes directly into the university’s general fund. The intent of the increased parking fines is to encourage proper parking and not generate revenue. Revenue generated from moving traffic violations goes to the district attorney’s office and the State.
I hope this answers your concerns.