Quinnipiac students are displeased with new parking fee for non-residential students

Joe LoGrippo, President
February 25, 2021

Quinnipiac University has announced that it will be requiring all off-campus students to pay a $90 fee each semester if they wish to park on university grounds. The payment will be enforced starting in the fall semester of 2021.

In an email sent out by Quinnipiac’s Chief Experience Officer Tom Ellett, he explained that the university is trying to increase the number of students who live in the school’s residence halls, and the reason for the required charge is to ensure parking availability for students who choose to live on campus.

However, this new rule has come with major pushback from those who are living off-campus next academic year.

Gabriella Colello, who is a political science and law in society student at Quinnipiac, wrote to Dr. Ellett in a letter where she expressed her major concerns, saying that the school is adding yet another expense to the already high tuition and virtually punishing students for not having the funds to pay to live on campus.

Along with Colello’s powerful message to the university, a petition has been started on change.org in an attempt to reverse the impending parking fee on commuter students.

“Most other commuter students do not live on campus because of one of the highest tuition rates in the state and in the North East, we cannot afford it,” the petition reads. “This $90 parking fee will not help us find the additional tens of thousands of dollars necessary to live in on-campus housing and it will not encourage prospective students to come to campus.”

The new parking fee has not only enraged off-campus students but on-campus residents, as well.

“[Off-campus students] may pay this fee and still not be guaranteed parking because of the limited spaces,” said Nicole Clemons, a third-year student who will be living on campus this upcoming fall semester. “I think we pay enough in tuition and should not have to pay for parking since this was not an issue before.”

Clemons obviously raised the point that the school will not be guaranteeing any parking spots for those who must pay the toll. Vincent Colonna, a third-year student, reiterates that in a strong way.

“Quinnipiac is ensuring parking for students who already live on campus and have the shuttles if they need to travel off campus,” Colonna said. “But instead, the school decides to tax those of us who live off campus and will be heading to campus almost every day and need those parking spots to attend class or work.”

Those in the Quinnipiac community also took to Twitter to express their thoughts on the matter.

https://twitter.com/samanthaaax5/status/1364961299768213510?s=20

Quinnipiac did mention that exceptions may be reviewed based upon financial need, but they are reinforcing that the parking fee will be an important step in their efforts to create a “best-in-class” residential experience at Quinnipiac.