As a financially struggling student at Michigan State University (MSU), I am deeply concerned about the exorbitant parking fees on campus. The high cost of parking is not only a burden for me but also for many other students, faculty, and staff who commute daily to MSU. We are often left with no choice but to pay these steep fees or risk receiving costly tickets from PACE.According to the National Center for Education Statistics, approximately 43% of full-time undergraduate students in the U.S were employed in 2018. This statistic suggests that a significant number of students rely on their jobs to support themselves and their education expenses. Adding high parking costs can create an extra financial strain that many cannot afford.In East Lansing, where MSU is located, the average cost of living is already higher than the national average. The additional burden of expensive parking fees makes it even more challenging for us to manage our finances effectively.We believe that reducing these fees will encourage more people to pay for parking rather than risking fines, thus creating a win-win situation for both MSU and its community members.We urge MSU administration and East Lansing city officials to reconsider current parking policies and make them more affordable for everyone involved. Please sign this petition if you support our call for fairer parking prices at Michigan State University.
Even just making parking 50 cents an hour will help students out so much. I know so many people, including myself, who would be more willing to pay, which would make PACE's need to ticket even less. It feels unfair and as if they are wanting to ticket us. Most of us are teenagers who have jobs and school and cannot afford to pay almost $6 for just two hour parking. Making it more affordable will make it less of a burden on all parties.
Another thing that needs to be enforced is more time slots. The fact that you can only select 30 minute intervals is unfair. Sometimes, I only need to park somewhere for 5 minutes, and need to pay 25 more minutes worth. There should be 5-10 minute intervals, as it feels like a money grab and is not okay.