Panel clears up parking myths, misconceptions

In an attempt to dispel many of the myths about parking tickets and parking cadets, a Parking Forum was sponsored by the Student Government Association last week.

Junior Jenny Brockwell, SGA vice president of Administrative Affairs, and sophomore Jake Miller, executive treasurer, gave an interactive true-or-false presentation on JMU's parking situation.

"Students shouldn't fall for many of the myths circulating about fines and fees," Brockwell said, "including one that claims parking ticket fines pay for campus landscaping."

Towana Moore, assistant vice president for Business Services, added later in the forum that Parking Services is a "self-supporting" operation.

"Folks always feel like there is a ton of money sitting around the parking office," she said.

Money from the parking passes and the more than 16,000 parking tickets given this school year pay for the direct and indirect costs of operating Parking Services. This includes construction of new parking areas, maintenance of existing parking areas, enforcement, snow removal and lighting.

She added that because parking didn't start charging for passes until 1999, there is "no pot of money to rely on."

While students often believe that nothing is being done to improve parking, many steps have been taken, Brockwell said. In the past five years, 2,109 parking spaces were added for students and 966 were added for employees.

Brockwell also was quick to dispel other myths about fines and fees. She said students should know that the rates at JMU are average compared to other Virginia schools. Faculty and staff also pay parking fees, she said, which range from $72 to $360 and are based on salaries.

Students often ignore the purple signs posted at the entrance of each lot conveying parking restrictions for that area, Brockwell said, adding that the myth that parking restrictions aren't in effect over breaks or during exam week is not true.

"Because faculty and staff are sometimes still working, these (the parking restrictions) still apply," she said.

Students also commonly believe many misconceptions about parking cadets. No monetary incentives or parking privileges are given to cadets, Moore said, adding there is no quota of tickets necessary for cadets to meet. Brockwell said it was important to understand that cadets still are students and must abide by the same laws as everyone else.

Bill Yates, manager of Field Operations, said it's important for students to put themselves in the shoes of parking cadets.

"I want to dispel the myth that parking attendants are traitors to their peers," he said. "They get no particular satisfaction from giving tickets."

Senior Spencer Marron, a parking cadet, spoke at the forum. "When we're standing out there when it's really, really cold, please remember that we're just people," he said. "I don't get any special privileges. I have to pay parking tickets, too."

Marron said he works as a parking attendant because the hours are flexible and he likes to be outside.

"I'm not a Nazi," he said. "I'm just a kid with a job."