By JEFF GRAPPONE
Staff Writer
 

Construction of the new academic facility has brought more inconveniences to campus than just an over abundance of commercial vehicles and related cacophony. Add fewer parking spaces to the list of alterations enacted to accommodate the building's completion.

Among several changes approved last spring by the College's Parking Policy Committee was to eliminate about 12 student spaces near the new academic building and to cut approximately 20 faculty/staff spaces on the former Andrews Road (in back of Hedge Hall). In place of the latter, a grassy, more visually appealing area has been created.

"Parking for them [faculty/staff] has become a lot more tight," said Scott Gosselin, Bates College Security parking enforcement coordinator. He explained that many displaced faculty/staff are now more apt to park in the streets; upping the ante on already limited parking resources.

According to Gosselin, Bates can accommodate about 28% of students and 28% of faculty with parking.

Other changes are likely to hit the wallets of Bates students hard.

Until recently, an annual permit to park at the college cost $50. That price has since been raised to $60. So far, about 457 students have registered their vehicles, apparently generating $27,420 in revenue.

Some basic citations have doubled in cost. While in years past unregistered vehicles and vehicles bearing expired permits have been fined $10 for parking on campus, those fines now will cost offenders $20.

"We need to find out who that vehicle belongs to," said Gosselin of the illegally parked cars. According to him, the higher fines are necessary, in part, to help finance the administrative hassle of matching vehicles to offenders. Fines also encourage people to purchase the permits in the first place.

"I think it was largely because of the additional costs associated with the upkeep of the lots," he said, adding another reason for higher fines.

Once cars have been ticketed, parking enforcement must investigate who that car belongs to. Permits are the easiest way for them to name violators, but vehicles that are unknown to the College require further research. In some situations, state motor vehicle authorities are contacted for assistance. The financial office expedites billing.

Policy regarding temporary permits has also changed. Whereas a temporary registration formerly would have permitted parking in all available areas, those vehicles must now park in the Merrill lot. Students are limited to purchase such a pass for 4 weeks, at a cost of $5 per week.

There are currently 7 security officers in circulation who actively ticket illegally placed vehicles. "We remain committed to enforcing all the parking rules," said Gosselin.

Parking enforcement has no jurisdiction over street parking. Gosselin said the Lewiston Police Department will address illegally parked vehicles in the roads during the city's winter ban. Overnight parking is not permitted from November 15 to April 15.