The UNA Police Department distributed 2,044 tickets for on-campus parking violations during the 2012-13 school year, bringing in a total of $36,805 in paid tickets, said Chief of Police Bob Pastula. 

The money received from those paid parking tickets went toward the university’s general fund.The UNA Police Department does not receive any of the money brought in by parking tickets, Pastula said. 

Parking without a valid permit and parking in a prohibited zone were the two most common parking violations for the year.

Pastula said the department is expecting a huge change in campus parking availability during the 2013-2014 school year.

“We are currently down 317 spaces: 147 in Lot O, 30 at the corner of Oakview (Circle) and Pine (Street), 50 in Lot B, and 90 in lot H,” he said via email. 

Pastula said GPS locators are now installed on campus shuttle buses which will allow students to find the shuttle buses at any time using the UNA mobile app. 

The GPS locators are funded by an increase of $2 to the student transportation fee, as part of a bill passed by the Student Government Association, and later the UNA Board of Trustees. 

“SGA inquired students on this issue to find a relief for our parking issues, and this (fee increase) was the solution that was formed,” said SGA President Laura Giles. “We are excited for the addition and feel that it will help alleviate some of the issues students are seeing with parking on campus. By utilizing this system, the students will feel more comfortable with riding the shuttle busses already provided for them.”

Tim Levan, a senior at UNA, said he has received parking tickets on campus before, due to needing to get to class.

“I parked in a faculty/staff parking spot,” Levan said. “It was my fault and I am not mad, because I broke the rules.

“A little parking lot by the off-campus bookstore helps a little, but the problem is a lot bigger than that. I like the idea of having the GPS on the UNA buses. Sometimes people wait forever to get a bus, but this will allow them to see where the bus is at.”

Giles said SGA is aware of student frustration with the new parking issues and is continuing to work with the UNA administration to try to find more solutions.

“SGA understands the frustration of the students due to the fact that we are just like everyone else who is struggling to get to class on time due to limited parking options,” Giles said. “With UNA being a historical campus in the middle of downtown historical Florence, it makes it difficult to find places to add parking, but know that it is a concern of not only the students, not only SGA, but the UNA administration as well.” 

The numerical information for this report was provided by Laura Reese, administrative assistant to Chief Pastula.