Student Assembly's two-year campaign to reform the fees and fines system has made more progress with a resolution to lower parking fines for students that will go into effect this summer.
Under the new plan students will pay considerably less for parking violations in the "core" areas, such as behind Mass Row and near the Fayerweathers, Molly Stutzman '02, Student Life chair for the Assembly explained.
Stutzman has been working with the Assistant Director of Administrative Services in Facilities, Operations & Management Bill Barr to restructure the parking fine system.
Now students that have paid to park in A Lot will pay a fine of $25 for each ticket received. Students who normally park off campus will pay $50 for each parking violation.
Students who pay to park in A Lot face a lower fine because they are already paying to maintain the College parking facilities.
The old fine system charged all students $50 for the first parking violation in the core areas and $100 for each subsequent ticket.
Under the old system, students often complained because there was a large disparity between fines for students and those for faculty and staff.
The new plan aims to narrow the difference, but continues to recognize that faculty and staff often need to drive to the College in order to work.
Beginning almost two and a half years ago, the Assembly received input from students asking them to look into reevaluating the College's fees and fines policies, and more specifically parking fines.
Student Assembly passed a resolution calling for reduction in fines, but "no huge changes resulted," Stutzman said. Last year a committee was formed to confront the issue again.
In the fall another resolution was passed to deal with the parking fines on campus again. At that time, Stutzman began meeting with Barr to change the system.
The current changes will go into effect at the beginning of this summer. Stutzman said that she plans on continuing to meet with Barr to discuss ways to inform students about the new system.
Stutzman also said eventually the parking system at the College will face bigger changes. In five to 10 years parking may move further away from campus, and there will be a shuttle system between campus and student parking.
