Students Unhappy With Plan

The final proposal came as a surprise to student leaders, who were briefed on the plan Tuesday afternoon by Carolyn Elfland, vice chancellor for campus services, and Nancy Suttenfield, vice chancellor for finance and administration.

"I am in total shock and disappointment with the proposal," said Student Body President Justin Young.

Young and other student leaders were upset that the vice chancellors did not take the parking suggestions made by the Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee.

In February, TPAC voted to recommend a night parking proposal that included a $5 per semester increase in student fees rather than charging for separate night parking permits.

"We're especially disappointed that they chose to go ahead with the type of night parking program that the committee overwhelmingly chose not to support," said Student Body Vice President Rudy Kleysteuber.

Originally, student leaders were not satisfied with TPAC discussions surrounding night parking.

But after additional TPAC meetings and debate, committee members were able to approve the recommendations drawn up by graduate student Emily Williamson. Young said the fact that the chancellors and vice chancellors did not use TPAC's recommendation calls the committee's purpose into question.

"It is a slap in the face," Young said. "A lot of careful thought and hard work went into the recommendation."

But administrators said the TPAC recommendation was not feasible because it required the University to commit $265,000 before the student fee could be levied.

Suttenfield said that because of budget cuts and limited funding from the state legislature, the University did not have money to cover the commitment.

Young said the $265,000 was not just a one-time cost -- it also signaled a commitment that the University had a vested interest in reconciling the parking situation. He questioned why Elfland did not bring up feasibility concerns during the TPAC meetings.

"The commitment showed a unified front and support on the part of the University," he said.

Student Body President-elect Jen Daum also said she was concerned about the safety of students who wanted to access campus facilities late at night.

She said she is worried about students who will use the designated free lots late at night because shuttles to the lots will only run until midnight.

"Safety should be the foremost concern, and I don't think it was the top priority in this case," Daum said.

Faculty Council Chairwoman Sue Estroff said the plan negatively affects University employees in the lower salary ranges because the cost is the same for all employees regardless of how much money they make.

"It's getting increasingly difficult for people who work here to afford parking," she said.

In addition to hurting lower socioeconomic groups, she said the proposal is illogical and needs further development.

"If I got a paper like this from a student, they wouldn't get a very good grade."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.