When classes resume this spring, the new parking garage on Bedford Street will be ready for use. The garage, which will hold 1,150 parking spaces, will be open to students, faculty, staff and the general public.
Students enrolled for classes at USM have paid a mandatory transportation fee. The fee was structured based on credits taken. A student taking 12 credits and more pays $90 per semester. This fee replaced the former $35 parking decal fee. All students pay the fee and therefore all students have access to the garage. Faculty and staff members who are not represented by a union and paid 0.3 percent of their annual salary for the first decal will also have access to the garage.
However, faculty and staff who are in unions who paid either a $25 or a $35 parking fee will not have access to garage unless they pay 0.3 percent of their annual salary, minus the original $25 or $35. All cars with a USM decal in the lower left hand corner of the front windshield will be allowed to park in surface lots. There will be no open parking, meaning students must park in students lots and faculty and staff may park in any surface lot except for (P-2), the parking lot in front of the campus center.
Students, faculty and staff eligible to gain entrance into the parking garage can do so by using their USM one card. If the USM one card carries an issue date of before 5/10/2003, then it should be updated at the card office on either campus. Any card issued from 5/10/2003 should have the technology to gain access to the garage. Anyone who does not have access through a one card will be able to buy a ticket for 50 cents an hour (not to exceed $6 per day).
Erin Violette can be contacted at [email protected]