By Almendra Carrion
As the new semester begins, students are greeted with a remodeled parking lot and a new price tag.
For as long as students can remember, parking at Barry University was provided at no charge, but students are now encountering significant changes to the parking lot system along with a new financial expense that went into effect on Sept. 23.
For many students, the introduction of parking charges may exacerbate financial pressures and disproportionately impact those who rely on personal vehicles for commuting due to limited public transportation options.
"I think it's very inconsiderate to charge students for parking, especially given the recent tuition increase,” said Alexandra Bello, a junior advertising student. “As a commuter who drives 26 miles to campus, I’m already dealing with high gas prices, and adding parking fees just adds more financial stress. It feels like an extra burden on students who are already stretching their budgets.”
The perception of fairness is also a concern, especially if students with existing parking passes are required to pay additional fees and when some say the new system is not accompanied by clear and transparent communication about its necessity and benefits.
“I have been here since August 2022, and I came here with no car. I was blessed to get one in spring 2023, and when I got my car, my parking decal was free and has been free for the past two years. When this started getting around, it was mostly a rumor. Nobody knew anything,” said Kady Thermidor, a communication and media studies junior student.
Barry disseminated a university-wide email on Sept. 20 to students, faculty and staff, explaining the new parking regulations.
According to the email, the regulations enforce fees of $200 annually, $100 per semester, or $25 per month for commuters and residents. Those without a permit will face hourly or daily rates. Violators will be subject to fines starting Oct. 1.
All faculty, staff and students are required to obtain a parking permit through the Barry Parking Portal.
The new virtual permit was a change made based on the feedback of students, faculty and staff, campus officials told The Buccaneer, eliminating the need for a physical decal that identifies individuals who attend or work at Barry.
As it turns out, Barry is not the first university to charge their students to park.
“Benchmarking against other institutions revealed that charging for parking is a common practice that helps manage limited parking resources more effectively,” stated the Barry PR department in an email to The Buccaneer.
In the South Florida area, many universities have adopted parking fee systems for students — for instance, the former Miami International University of Art & Design. Barry absorbed many of the students from that institution who were no strangers to paid parking. MIU enforced a monthly parking fee of $60.
With a new permit, students can park anywhere on campus, except the Broad lot and the bookstore lot, which will be designated as premium lots. These areas will be strictly for paid parking only. Permit holders who choose to park in premium lots must pay the applicable hourly or daily rates.
This new price tag has stirred up questions in the minds of the student body. What is the university doing with the money it earns from parking fees?
According to the Barry PR department, “the increasing costs associated with maintaining and improving parking facilities necessitated a new revenue stream to ensure sustainability and quality for students, faculty, staff and visitors to Barry University.”
Still, it will take a while for the Barry community to be comfortable with the new system.
“Change is always uncomfortable, but to seriously add another bill to our consciousness when we already have so much on our plate; a credit at Barry is about $1,100 and a class is $3,000. Also, no one told me that there is a $3 service charge for paying online using the link they provide,” said Thermidor.
Comments