Lauryn Guy

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater announced updates to the parking permit system; a structure that was designed to make the application process smoother and remove the stress of waking up early to secure a permit.

Through discussions with students and different organizations, along with a lengthy analysis of lot usage during peak times, Student Affairs aimed to move on from the “Taylor Swift Ticketmaster-esque” system, as Student Services executive director Dale Pinzino described it.

“It’s mid-August and you don’t have a permit, so you’re panicking,” Pinzino said. “It created more anxiety and stress around the process where then people were like, ‘Now what do I do?’ How do we get [students] some of their basic needs earlier in the process?”

The most notable change to the system is that all returning and transfer students are guaranteed a permit if they express their interest in one by May 10. Students will now select their parking preferences, along with their dining preferences, through the housing reapplication process. Moving the parking application to this service makes the process more efficient for students.

“It removes that August on sale date and brings it to the housing application,” Pinzino said. “The folks in housing have been so supportive of trying to help with this process and seeing what we can do.”

As for incoming freshmen, they must complete their housing application and register for Warhawks SOAR by May 10 to be considered for a permit. Then they will be placed in a lottery system where every applicant will have an equal opportunity to receive a permit. Those who do not receive a permit will be placed on the waitlist.

While the number of freshmen receiving permits will depend on how many resident, commuter and staff permits are purchased, Pinzino expects around one-third of freshmen to receive them.

“We just don’t have the ability to say yes to everybody,” Pinzino said. “But now we don’t have to go through this every single year because potentially you could get one as a freshman but not as a sophomore.”

Freshmen who need a permit can fill out a need-based request in the housing application. Parking Services understands that some students have a legitimate reason for needing a permit. They are also looking at alternative transportation options, like expanding the Janesville shuttle that transports students to and from the Rock County Campus.

With the new system, students will no longer choose which parking lot to request a permit for. Instead, Parking Services will choose their parking lot for them based on their residence hall. Permits will be given to returning and transfer students in the order of which they filled out the housing application, and once a lot fills up students will begin getting placed in alternative lots.

“There’s an incentive to get your stuff in,” Pinzino said. “There’s gotta be a way to prioritize. Not everybody loves a lottery. But you have months to do it. You’ll get a permit. If you’re really adamant on where, try to get it done as soon as possible.”

Parking is also impacted by the upcoming Winther and Heide Hall renovations, as most commuters and faculty who park in Lot 14 must move to a different lot. Yet past construction projects have prepared Parking Services for this.

“This past year, we added some spots,” Pinzino said. “The Lot 8 [construction], the six pack over there, that really helped alleviate some issues on that side of campus. This past fall is kind of how it’s going to feel for residents, meaning that we added those spaces but lost all these spaces in Lot 8 because of construction.”

These changes to the system are flexible and not binding. Pinzino and his team are still looking into other changes to the system and will use this upcoming academic year to gather feedback and make adjustments as needed.

“This is not a one-and-done,” Pinzino said. “This is one thing, and we’ll keep trying to improve it across the board.”