The end of the school year is in sight and it’s nearly time to fork over a pile of money so we can have the privilege of bringing our cars to campus.
Finding parking is rarely a pleasant experience. If we had a quarter for every minute we’ve spent circling a jammed parking lot like a vulture trying in vain to get a spot (any spot), we would be rich indeed.
DU claims to “make acquiring a permit a simple, straightforward process.” But only if you have money.
Parking permits at DU are purchased annually and run from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31 of the following year. If you purchase a permit after Sept. 1, the price of the permit is prorated based on the remaining time before the next parking permit cycle. This allows you to somewhat reduce the cost if you, for example, don’t have classes in the Fall Quarter.
However, you can’t “pick and choose” the dates (or quarters) that you pay for parking. If you buy a parking permit, you pay from the date you purchase the permit until the following Aug. 31. This system makes sure that there are no gaps in your ability to park and ensures you pay for that all-important parking spot during the barren Summer Quarter. However, it doesn’t offer much flexibility when it comes to your parking budget.
Map Courtesy of DU Parking
Speaking of budgets, parking at DU is a beefy expense. It’s a big campus with a lot of options. If you’re the scenic type, you can get a spot in Lot 108. It’s the cheapest parking currently available at DU with a bargain basement price of $261 a year. The fantastic view of I-25 as well as an electrical substation are thrown in for no extra charge. If the outdoors just isn’t for you, no problem.
At the other end of the price range is a different basement: in the Daniels College of Business. These exclusive spots cost a whopping $1074 a year (and I hear there’s a waitlist). Between these extremes you have the general parking lots on the North and South ends of campus for $387 a year as well as a range of more centrally located lots for roughly $500 to $700 a year.
They say knowledge is power. Now that we know how much parking costs, perhaps there is a secret way I can avoid paying hundreds of dollars to park?
What if I have a state-issued disability parking permit? Great news. You have access to almost any handicap spot on campus … for $411 a year.
What about avoiding campus parking altogether and parking near campus? No such luck. That has a “negative impact” on the surrounding area and is “expressly prohibited” through a DU agreement with the City of Denver.
What if you’re a campus-bound student? Surely you’re allowed to have a car, right? Of course. But you have to buy a normal parking permit and then pay an additional $237 student residence fee (because your car is on campus 24/7).
Maybe these prices support a good cause like lowering DU’s carbon footprint? Arguably. One of the given reasons for raising parking rates this year was to “encourage travel mode shift.” Specifically, away from single-occupant vehicles to “more sustainable modes of transportation.”
So, these exorbitant price hikes are supposed to encourage us to ride our bikes to class in a blizzard more often?
You can also buy a personal carbon offset. That’s $10. It’s sold separately and you get a fancy “Green Commuter” sticker.
It’s not unreasonable for students to expect their institution to spend time and effort making learning environments accessible to them. DU takes this responsibility seriously and works towards this goal in a great many ways.
However, I contend that the parking costs at DU are not just frustrating, they’re anti-academic. If you’re stressed about parking, it’s just one more thing to distract you from your scholarly pursuits. The student body has enough on their mind with the frenzied pace of the quarter system. We shouldn’t have to worry about paying hundreds of dollars to secure a parking spot near our classrooms or enduring a second commute on foot (in the Colorado weather) from a far-flung parking lot. If you can’t get to class in a reasonable manner, you can’t enjoy the full benefits of your education.
The first of DU’s General Parking Guidelines is, “there is no free parking on campus.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.
