2008 Woodie Awards
Staff Editorial: Disconnected DOTS
In yet another example of the Department of Transportation Services' aversion to the concept of reasonable treatment of student drivers, DOTS announced - mumbled, actually - that drivers parking in garages and using meters across the campus will need to shell out more cash every time they put their car in park.
DOTS - a fittingly Orwellian name - is actually making it harder to park on the campus at a time when more and more students are moving off the campus due to a lack of on-campus housing.
Although the Student Fee Review Board approved the increases in February, little publicity about the changes - simply signs in front of garages, and nothing at all for the meters - has occurred since then. If students don't protest, they agree, right? And further reducing the possible student complaints over the fees, the change comes in the middle of July, when far fewer students are around the campus to notice the changes than during the school year. DOTS has yet to even post a notice of the increase on its website.
David Allen, the director of DOTS, probably wonders why his department frequently catches flack from all segments of the campus population. Not telling people about new fees and cost increases tends to upset them. The lack of publicity is especially egregious since students who don't notice the new fees involved with parking at metered spots could end up with tickets for not realizing a quarter is worth 15 minutes instead of 20.
Though these increases were not large in and of themselves, the hikes are the icing on the permit-and-ticket cake students all too often are forced to shovel down in order to park their cars on the campus.
To many students, it may seem the mission of DOTS is not to manage the campus transportation system and that it instead exists solely to make money off the people it purports to serve. In the future, students upset with DOTS fee-mongering should see the department for what it is - not an extension of the university in its dealings with students, but a revenue-hungry outfit focused solely on the bottom line.
Submit a letter to the editor or post a comment below.
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 8
Ashlee
posted 7/10/08 @ 9:57 AM EST
Welcome to the real world, Diamondback! The economy is in a slump, gas prices are increasing the cost of everything. Owning a car is a luxury and the cost will only increase - that includes the costs for DOTS and it is only logical that those costs will be spread out among the various services they provide. (Continued…)
thefrontpage
posted 7/10/08 @ 1:26 PM EST
It's time for new management at this corrupt and mismanaged agency, which has never solved the parking problems on campus. Just simply driving up rates--which angers everyone and does nothing--is not tackling the problem. (Continued…)
Zack
posted 7/11/08 @ 6:00 PM EST
In response to Ashlee's comments: Please backup the fact that a slumping economy validates a university funded agency raising parking fees on students! I am sure they need to raise more revenue to keep their employees fat salaries and pensions intact and the easiest way - "Let's screw the students!" A smart organization would try to cut expenses elsewhere (maybe laying off unneeded workers) before screwing the people that pays their bills (our tuition). (Continued…)
boh
posted 7/13/08 @ 10:54 AM EST
DOTS is a self support department, Zack. The live off what they earn.
STUDENT
posted 7/14/08 @ 2:34 PM EST
OK BOH so lets say 10,000 out of our reported 30,000+ students pay the 2800(im sure its higher now) transportation fee. Do the math, add 2.7 million dollars in tickets and fines, and then add the millions in parking permits. (Continued…)
Zack
posted 7/17/08 @ 10:20 AM EST
Boh: Ok, so its self supported. Why doesn't anyone know this? Why don't they say why they need to raise rates, maybe they could turn over their financial statements instead of giving a broad answer. (Continued…)
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