Fees of Almost $1000 Charged to Students’ Accounts without Their Knowledge.
By E. C. Smith, Staff Writer
Last semester, USM students on the Portland and Gorham campuses received parking fines of up to $1,000 after students’ accounts were charged without their knowledge. These fees were incurred as a result of the newly adopted campus parking system which went into effect at the beginning of the Fall semester. This high-tech parking system permits cameras stationed around campus to record the license plate numbers of any car that drives through campus, allowing a 10-minute grace period before vehicles are fined $55 for parking in undesignated parking spaces.
This short grace period, the increase in cost for the standard parking fee, and the almost deceptive way that students’ accounts are being charged without their knowledge have all been causes for the discontent and outright indignation that students are expressing about the issue.
And it is not just students who are affected by this new system: community members, such as Gorham locals taking advantage of the hiking trails around campus, are also being fined for parking around campus. These community members have been ill-informed about the new policy, even more so than USM students. Their agitation about this issue may be justified. For example, local visitors to campus have reported discovering fines on their accounts without even leaving their vehicles, some going months before being alerted of the charges. This instance and others are why some individuals are claiming the parking system is flawed, to put it lightly.
In retaliation, Gorham residents who have lived in the area for years have become just as, if not more, vocal as students about the issue. For instance, by the end of last semester, hundreds of students and community members alike took to social media to express their frustrations about the new parking system. Coverage from local news sources has even called out the new system as sneaky and “predatory”, according to an article by The Portland Press Herald titled “USM Parking System Changes not Going Over Well in Gorham” (follow the link for the full article: https://www.pressherald.com/2023/12/20/usm-parking-system-changes-not-going-over-well-in-gorham/).
Interestingly, the parking system debacle is not the first time this year that students have been frustrated with campus Parking Services. With the construction of the new Portland Commons, students living on the Portland campus are being forced to pay an additional $500, on top of the already costly price of room and board, to secure a parking spot in the new garage for overnight stays throughout the semester. This fee came as a shock to many new and returning students, as up until this time parking fees were included in the total cost of tuition.
With recent increases in room and board expenses and other surprise fees, students are steadily becoming more irate over the growing cost of on-campus living. While
Yeah, I’m a victim of that. As a parent of a student there I parked in the same lot multiple times to meet with coaches and watch baseball games with no issues. Then one day I just wanted to catch a practice and suddenly two months later I’m getting a bill in the mail for it. Very weak on USM’s part. Just put up signs you can read stating it’s a paid lot. Good luck collecting on that one.
This is alarming information. However, it is of no surprise to me. Staff are also being hit with parking tickets and charges even with pre-payment of parking permits. An overzealous ticket writer and issuer is out there, likely committing fraudulent activity. And what is being done about any of this?