Deep into the winter semester, the issue of parking is still rearing it’s rowdy head.

Last semester, 1,131 citation violations were issued and just last month, a total of 506 citations were issued thus far, according to information obtained from the Oakland University Police Department.

Although some have declared the parking problem to be nonexistent, many students disagree.

“We might as well have parking passes like the other colleges,” Mike Vartanian, communication major, said. “I always get a spot, but last year I had a hard time parking near Varner Hall, so I had to use the parking structure across the street.”

Parking is not the only issue for some people. Junior Corinna Muntean thinks there is both a parking problem and a walking problem.

“Some practical solutions would be walking, carpooling, parking in the parking structure near Pawley Hall, and using the Bear Bus and Bike Share Program,” Muntean said.

 

OUPD speaks out 

Sam Lucido, chief of police, said the problem is worse at the beginning of the semester.

“The first three weeks of school are typically the worst, after that, students pretty much know what to expect,” Lucido said.

To help alleviate the walk from parking in one of the further lots, OU Student Congress created the Bear Bus program, which has stops in front of various buildings on and off campus.

According to Lucido, OUPD has also made efforts to help students.

“We’ve called the radio stations and the Vice President’s office and told them if students can’t find parking to call the police station, and we will gladly direct them to spots that are available,” he said.

Lucido said OUPD does give out tickets, but only in extreme cases.

“My primary focus is on parking violations, they bother me the most,” he said. “If we don’t enforce that, then someone is going to park next to them and eventually the lane would become so narrow that you wouldn’t be able to get a fire truck through,” Lucido said. “These things concern me.”

Another parking violation that concerns OUPD is handicap parking violations.

According to documents from OUPD, there were a total of seven citations given out during the month of January.

There is a $50 parking fee for illegally parking in a handicapped space, according to OUPD, and a $20 charge for all other parking violations. If a person is a repeat offender, OUPD could issue a State of Michigan ticket, which could cost upward of $150.

 

Fewer anticipated problems

John Beaghan, vice president of finance and administration, said the construction near P1 will be completed in July and ready for classes this fall. The P3 lot will also reopen with the completion of the Human Health Building.

Recently, approximately eight metered spots in P2 were converted to “permit parking only” spots due to an increased need for visitor parking.

According to Beaghan, permit parking is managed by OUPD and is only provided if an appropriate business purpose is conducted, for example, potential employers visiting Career Services.

There were a total of 62 citations given out for “permit parking only” violations in the fall and 12 given out in January, according to OUPD.

Beaghan said parking will not be an issue upon the completion of the Human Health Building because the facility will house mainly students for the School of Nursing and School of Health Science. The William Beaumont School of Medicine students will primarily reside in O’Dowd Hall.

“With P3 coming back online this fall, we don’t think (the building) will cause a major inconvenience,” Beaghan said.

 

Contact staff intern Misha Mayhand via email at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @Mac_Me_Over