So Much University, So Little Parking

Many students (and I am guilty of it too) complain daily about parking on Michigan State University's campus. Comments such as, "there's no where to park" or "I don't have enough quarters to put in the meter" are common when trying to drive to class. There are many criticisms about the MSU parking police and the P.A.C.E. workers. It seems as though the P.A.C.E workers are just out to get everyone and nail them with a nice $25 dollar ticket. But are they really out to get everyone and make our lives miserable?

With so many people coming to MSU's campus daily, it only makes sense that there is regulation on parking.  "At any given time, there are hundreds of empty spaces," said Lynnette Forman, office supervisor of the parking division for MSU police. There various parking lots and structures throughout campus but some fill up quicker than others. “If you want to park where everyone else wants to park, like the Shaw lot, then it’s going to be harder to get a spot." By parking on the outskirts of campus, students are more likely to find a spot. 


But once a student has found a parking spot, the next complaint is about the price to park there.  Whether it's metered or permit parking, of course students would just rather not pay for it at all.  But then they risk the chance of getting a ticket. 


According to Donald Shoup's study on the politics and economics of parking on campus, the price of parking all comes down to the basic principle of supply and demand. It depends on how many parking spaces are available and the demand to park in a specific lot or structure. 


Parking is never free. Even when you go to places like Meijer where you don’t have to pay for parking, it still isn’t free. Those types of lots are rented by the store, said Forman.  “In 1983, the MSU board of trustees declared that parking would be a self supporting system."  Some other colleges and universities receive outside funding.


Since the price of parking is based on how much money is needed to maintain parking structures and parking safety, it isn't likely that the price will go down.  


So the moral of the story is, the complaining on parking isn't going to make convenient parking spaces magically appear or lower the price of parking to the desired $0.00.