Contrary to last year’s parking policy of ‘first come first serve’, this upcoming school year will mark the beginning of a new parking system. Developed under campus supervisor Ric Calhoun, this new system will enable students to select personal parking spaces to use throughout the year.

Senior parking applications opened on Aug. 20, three days later the junior, WANIC and running start applications will open on Aug. 23. As a part of the new system, sophomores will not be able to park in student lots until the start of second semester.

The yearly price of 125 dollars per student (this price will be cut in half at second semester) applies to all spots, Calhoun said. If a student is unable to pay the fee they can talk to a counselor, administrator or Calhoun himself to find out about the programs in place. Students will only be able to choose between the three student lots on the parking application; specific spots will be chosen at the Back to School Fair on Aug. 27.

“When they come to the back to school fair and pick up their parking pass,” Calhoun said, “that will be a first come first serve basis.” Calhoun said he hopes this will provide incentive for students to arrive earlier to the fair, rather than rushing at the last hour. Next year, he expects to add on to his current program by allowing students to choose their spot online.

To combat upcoming parking problems with theatre construction, the gravel lot will no longer be open to students. Instead, the area will be set aside for equipment space to avoid future parking displacement. Even with one less lot, Calhoun said he doesn’t expect lots to fill up before March.

Calhoun said personal parking spots will hopefully solve a variety of security issues he has faced over the years. For example, reported students can be easily located in their cars, and Calhoun will be able to determine which students have left the campus.

Parking remains a privilege, Calhoun said, and if a student fails to follow the guidelines listed in Parking Lot Rules and Regulations section of the parking application, their personal spot may be revoked.

In past years, there were many chances to have a parking infraction removed. This next year, however, the administration is planning to crack down on parking misdemeanors. Because students have a personal spot, there will be no tolerance for students parking in other spots. Parking will be checked every couple of hours by Calhoun.

If a student arrives to find someone in their own spot, they are to take a picture and send it to one of Calhoun’s many social media accounts used for parking violations. Once a student alerts the campus supervisor, they are able to park in the extra spots used for this purpose.

“[But] if you have a parking spot and someone parks in your space,” Calhoun said, “if you do not report it, you will get a ticket.”

Infractions begin at 10 dollars and increase to 20 dollars, 50 dollars, and 120 dollars for each infraction. After the second infraction, this year there will also be a disciplinary action such as Saturday school or detention to combat students willing to simply pay the fees throughout the year.

Calhoun said he believes the system he has created will receive an overall positive reaction. He said he hopes the ability to choose a parking spot and knowing that there’s a reserved spot for them at school will be a better system. There’s also the benefit of getting to choose to be near friends or classrooms.

Organizational purposes aside, Calhoun hopes that the policy change will help students to grow individually and get used to adult responsibility.

“You guys are all getting to a point where you’re soon to be adults and I want to give some type of ownership,” Calhoun said. “When you buy a space, then that’s your space. Opposed to people just parking wherever and then, it seems that people generally take care of things a bit better if they think that it’s theirs.”