Controversy arose late Monday night when the idea that parking meters could be installed around VSU’s campus came up at the Student Government Association’s weekly meeting.
 The Parking and Transportation Department discussed the issue at a recent meeting.

 The department would temporarily implement parking meters at parking spots around campus to create more revenue.

 Some SGA senators feel that this move was not necessary.

 “Really and truly, I don’t like it,” SGA senator Jeffrey Brown said. “Parking and Transportation makes enough money off VSU students who pay citations for parking violations.”
 Some senators don’t think that parking meters are a necessary addition.

 Senator Paul Rosemond said,  “I do not see the need for parking meters.”

 SGA President DeMario Jones believes that students will be outraged at first by the parking meters, but they should take a wait-and-see approach to the situation.

 “It’s in the pilot stages meaning that they are just thinking about trying it out,” Jones said. “I do believe that students won’t take kindly to this though. We don’t know where they will be and if they will be a conjunction between the city and the school or just a city thing. If they put them on the side of the road and they do not affect all commuters then the meters will not cause any problems.”

 Worker Angelique Leonard of the Parking and Transportation Department, had nothing to add.

 “I have no comment in behalf of Transportation because I do not want to provide any facts that could be false,” Leonard said. “They really didn’t go into detail about it to us.”
 One reason for disagreement that was voiced at the meeting Monday was that placing meters around campus would double charge students fees that have already been paid for.

 “Being double charged is a reasonable thought for students at first, but the measures are still in the exploratory stages,” Jones said.

 Rosemond thinks about the situation the same way Jones does.

 “I  think it is double charging,” Rosemond said. “We’re all adults here.”

 Another idea about the problems that meters could create is that the Parking and Transportation Department is wants to gain profit from students who arrive early and get the ideal parking spots around campus.

 This may result in students using the unappealing spaces in parking decks to avoid paying the fees.

“A great responsibility as a student is to get to class on time and Parking and Transportation shouldn’t charge students for that,” Brown said.

Members of SGA still see that the meters could do good things for parking and students.

“The parking meters would make students more prompt and aware of parking in 45 minute spaces,” Rosemond said. “They should be temporary, but if it does work, by all means expand it.”

The spirited debate was one of the last topics at a relatively uneventful and unwanted meeting by most who attended. Many members seemed lax and uninterested in the meeting.

“This topic brought about enough debate between senators I was appreciative of their comments,” Jones said.

Some senators voiced their disagreement.

 “Me and a lot of my fellow senators wouldn’t vote for this,” Brown said. “We feel that this is pointless.”

Other senators decided this decision was necessary.

“I would vote yes for it,” Rosemond said. “It could be helpful in the future.”

SGA meets at 8 p.m. Mondays in the Student Union. All meetings are open to students.