Dear Parking and Transportation Services,

we are The Voice of Students at the University of New Mexico, or V.O.S.

for short, and we are an organization that represents the students and
their opinions. We are proposing a change in the parking situations, in
and around campus. Parking has become such an inconvenience to us
students at the university when we want to come to campus for any
reason. Some problems we are highlighting are the spaces available
and price to park anywhere. We students believe ourselves to be very
knowledge about the parking issues and concerns, because we are the
ones who are living with this nightmare day by day. Purchasing parking
passes is a great idea, but with our other incurred costs it is entirely
too expensive for us students for passes and the spaces provided are
highly inconvenient for the most part. Having to park at other various
lots in and around UNM and riding shuttles can be time consuming for
most. The busses become full very quickly, causing a lot of students to
have to wait for the next one to arrive causing them to be late to their
classes. These busses could be resourceful, but they have ended up
being more of a hassle than they're worth. The pay to park meters on
campus have become an issue because of the limited spaces and the
inconvenient forms of payment. Most college students do not have
cash or a debit card with enough money to pay to park on campus
everyday and change is not accepted. The amount of time choices also
are not correspondent with students because the times of classes

ending never matches with when meters are up; students get left with
tickets or spending more than needed, and most times, our last bits of
money. In the following document we have included more reasons why
parking has become such an issue for UNM students specifically, and
how we propose to solve them. I do hope that you take our thoughts
into consideration and hear your student body out for a compromise.

Problem:
Parking for students is one of the worst ranked aspects of UNM.
Students have such a hard time paying and finding parking on campus
and it causes strain unnecessary strain on everyone. Everyday
students have the option of meter parking on main campus, paying for
a pass on another lot near UNM, riding a shuttle to school, walking, and
few other choices. The problems with each of these options are as
follows:
Meter parking is very limited and doesnt have the payment options
accessible for everyone. Students pay by the half hour and that is too
short since wed need at least an hour. This parking is in, mostly,
inconvenient areas on campus. Also, the payment methods for the
meters receive are not, for the most practical for college students.
Sometimes students are ticketed within minutes of the expiration time
on their meters.

 The shuttle parking is a good idea some of the time, but it is also
unfair. We students who choose this way purchase passes for assigned
lots where we can park and then are shuttled to campus to and from
this lot when we need to come and go from campus. This is a problem
because the shuttles become full and make it hard to get on to get to
class on time. They are also inconvenient for students to go to and get
things from causing those students to carry as much things in their
bags as possible. We are ticketed for parking in these lots without a
present pass, but students who cheat the system can park at adjacent
homes and on the neighboring streets around campus and ride the
shuttles with no consequences. Game days can make these lots
especially difficult, because some of the lots are pay-to-park only on
game days for game goers. Therefore, students who have classes or
need to go to campus and want to do so with their paid passes cannot
because the school makes them pay to park in these lots even though
they already may have of the purchased passes.
Walking to and from campus is a decision many students who live in
the area choose to take, but this only works for students who live near
or on campus. Those students who live further away and elsewhere are
left to resorted to other means.
This is highlighting only a few problems that we students have with
campus parking and why. In 2013 it can be observed that there was
40,100 citations distributed and then the fall of 2014 there was an
increase close to an astonishing 41,000 citations handed out. With

tickets ranging anywhere from $20-$25 it is estimated that 2014 alone

cost the student body handed over approximately an extra $1,025,000
as a whole on top of tuition costs along with class fees. We The V.O.S.
have ideas and proposals on how to find a compromise to these issues
to better fit more people and have aid UNM in accumulating less
complaints from the students on this issue. Our organization has
orchestrated a twitter poll, displayed on the next page, on how UNM
students feel about parking on campus and this revealed that 78% of
the poll have had a bad parking experience here with UNMs parking
administration.

Solution:
There are 3 measures that we propose are needed in order to better
the overall parking situation at UNM. They serve as are what we found
would be most efficient and beneficial to the student body. They

consist of making UNM parking lots free, charging for parking on

campus during events, shuttle memberships, and a ticket grace period.
Each measure was carefully thought of in order to achieve maximum
benefits.
Measure 1: Free parking for UNM students
As far as free parking goes this only means free on all ground level
parking lots. (Structures would still be pay-to-park). This would be
enforced by making students register their vehicles with UNM Parking
and Transportation Services (PATS) in order to receive a free parking
sticker; this would be allowing all current UNM students to park
anywhere on campus with an open spot. Also, shuttles not provided by
a student housing would need to have member passes that will cost $5
each semester in order to use.
Measure 2: Parking for events
This measure also plays into the 1st measure on with how PATs is going
to make money. V.O.S. proposes UNM charges to park on campus
whenever there are school related events on or off campus; if off, there
will be shuttles running to the location. This would benefit students
who live near campus as well because they could ride the shuttle to
events at no charge. The fee would be an $8 pass for the duration of
said event and would allow visitors to park anywhere on campus
(except student housing lots). Vehicles left overnight with the pass will
be ticketed or towed.

 Measure 3: Grace Period & Time Options

The final measure is only intended to be directed towards the pay-topark structures. We want there to be a grace period which gives
students enough time to reach their vehicles once their time has
expired. As well as there being added options for the amount of time
you can park. A 7-minute grace period should immediately be
enacted; this will keep PAT employees from giving tickets just minutes
before a student can reach their car. The time options would be 15,
30,45 and 60 minutes and so on.

Biography of members:
Cullen Monaco, a full time student at The University of New Mexico,
expected to graduate in 2019. Cullen established the Voice of the
Students, or V.O.S. while attending her first year at UNM with the
understanding that there needed to be a student-led entity giving the
school more feedback on what they think can improve campus. After
the start of the V.O.S. Cullen lead the new organization to take on

Campus wide budget cuts only being implemented to club activities.

Bike theft across campus
Improving security so students can feel more safe on campus
UNM Johnson Center improvements needed
In every instance the students voice rang out with no reply, until the
problems were directed at Cullen and the V.O.S., which resulted in an

even distribution of funding cuts, along with improved security to

better monitor students and their possessions. Cullen has recruited two
qualified individuals to help the V.O.S. on getting students more to be
more successful by tackling the biggest project yet, which is parking on
the University's campus.
Clifford Kindred, Currently a full-time student at the University of
New Mexico perusing a BBM in accounting and financing, and expected
to graduate in fall 2017. While living on campus his freshman year
Clifford couldnt afford to park his vehicle conveniently and was
prompted to walk a half hour to commute to work. This had lead to
tardiness when heading to class and also written warnings from his
employer of the time. Once Clifford moved out of campus into the
adjacent neighborhoods he was still late to class and work on a almost
daily basis. With this past experience and knowledge of accounting,
Clifford can put the numbers together and calculate the costs involved
with this plan and account for how this will shape the university from
here on.
Alberto Chaidez, pursuing a BBA at the University of New Mexico
since fall of 2014, expected to graduate spring 2019. He currently
walks to class to avoid the task of locating fine free parking on campus.
Though he lived in a apartment complex with shuttles to UNM Alberto
still found arriving to class on time was a daunting task. After
comparing the affordable parking options it proved to be still time

costly for Alberto. As an administrative business major these past

experiences give Alberto a strong role in aiding this University with
options that are helpful to not only students but the school as well.
Organization:
The V.O.S. or Voice Of the Students is a student led organization that
advocates for the average college attendees dilemma. Most people on
campus believe that the Universitys administration doesnt appeals to
the student bodys opinion; thus most do not get the chance to be
heard or just keep suggestions to them only. Our goal is to be the
bridge between the students and their administrative leaders by either
making these opinion be voiced or getting students face-to-face with
their administration. Our mission consists of bi-weekly meetings with
various leadership groups on campus including the SGAO and ASUNM
offices to make the University of New Mexico better as a whole. V.O.S.
is located on campus in Dane Smith Hall room 144 with hours of
operations consisting from 2pm through 3:15 pm every Tuesday and
Thursday. Every student is urged to visit the center with any campus
related concerns or opinions and one of our qualified consultants will
aid in finding a solution then getting the proposal presented to UNM.
The Voice of the Students or V.O.S. are hardworking college students
subjected to UNMs flaws but, the one we are mainly directing focus to
is the harsh penalties of parking on campus. Almost every teaching
assistant or professor would agree that students tardiness could

hinder a students success in a multitude of ways; the V.O.S. foresees a

future with students parking situations on campus not being the reason
for that tardiness.

Budget/ Costs & Benefits:

In closing, well summarize the benefits of this proposal and explain
the costs involved. With as many as fifty-nine out every seventy-five
students having bad experiences with the parking regulation on
campus we the V.O.S. are imposing that parking for students becomes
free except for parking structures, but add a 7-minute grace period-while mandating parking fees for UNM related events. The crew that
will manage this project not only has personal experience but also
outstanding credentials that will take this project to the next level in
terms of ease for the student body.

The costs that can be expected will be expected for this project is
estimated to be $4,716,859.80. As seen from the attached budget the
school would earn roughly $321,690.20 from the revenue collected
from event parking along with the savings accumulated from not
paying parking officer wages weekly. When dipping into costs we see
that UNM wouldnt be making the annual revenue they receive from
students paying citations and paying for parking passes; keeping the
shuttles running is added into total costs as well. UNM will still benefit
from the paid parking system in both the Yale and Cornell parking
structures because they will still be generating some money. Also,
event-parking fees will aid the Parking and Transportation Department

in being self-sustaining with need of fewer employees. We the V.O.S

believe that this is not only making campus more accessible for the
students but rather an investment in the students and their success
when implemented. It is expect to see the average GPA steadily
increase as students have their priorities clear of parking enforcement
on campus; with less worry on their plate students at UNM can focus
on class work and have a more concise schedule that allows spared
time for extracurricular activities including necessary employment
opportunities.

Thank you for allowing The Voice of the Students to work with
your organization on this project as best suited for everyone that will
be affected. V.O.S founder, Cullen Monaco, will be in contact with your
department as summer break 2017 approaches so that the enough
time to given while these changes become instilled on campus.

If there are any other questions for V.O.S. or suggestions for

improvement of this proposal please call Clifford Kindred, with our
student resources department at (505)-661-6318 or by email at
cliffyk@unm.edu.

Citations
"Permits." Permits :: Parking & Transportation Services | The
University of New Mexico. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2016.
/.latest_citation_text

Garcia-Huff, Gabriel, Elizabeth Sanchez, Robert Maler, and

Jonathan Baca. "Parking Citations Help Fund Maintenence."
The Daily Lobo. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2016.