Graduates pay old tickets to release holds

By: Alex Koldeway

Posted: 5/13/09

Some seniors will have to pay hundreds of dollars for old parking tickets in order to avoid holds on their records.

Director of Visitor and Parking Services Bob Brecklin said there are several ways to get people to pay their tickets, including holds and suspending vehicle registrations.

"I personally don't think parking is something that should hold people from graduation," he said. "It's just slightly worse than a library fine."

Brecklin said putting holds on transcripts is one way to get people to pay.

"The money that is owed, we will get eventually," he said.

Brecklin said putting holds on records is not always possible because vehicle registrations can't always be traced back to a student. He said many students have vehicles registered under their parents' names.

Another method of collection is the vehicle registration suspension program. Brecklin said Parking Services uses the program to send notices of unpaid parking tickets to the owner of the vehicle, but because this method involves getting information from the Department of Motor Vehicles, it can't be done with out-of-state students.

Brecklin said the money is important because by law, parking services must be user-fee supported, and no tax dollars go toward parking. He said parking fees were raised last year because of budget cuts, and he expects fees to be raised again next year.

Senior Steve Traub said he isn't satisfied with parking on campus.

"I think they can make things easier for students," he said.

Traub said the parking meters near the library should be less expensive because students spend a lot of time there.

"It's hard for students from out of town to find parking spaces, and if you're over by two minutes on the meter you run the risk of a ticket," he said.

Traub said he thinks a parking structure should be built on campus to alleviate some of the overcrowding in the parking lots.