Comments on: University Park introducing valet service

By: Julia G.

Julia G. — Tue, 05 May 2009 02:35:58 +0000

This is totally ridiculous! What a waste of time thinking about offering this expensive service when parking fees aren't optional. I truly hope it doesn't succeed. Why take more spaces away from the students.. as if we didn't drive around enough to find a darn spot.

The meeting held for this idea, should have been time spent on implementing ideas or raising money to build another garage.. maybe across the book store.. and with at least more than 5 floors!

I wonder… where my tuition money is going. Hmm.

By: John Paul

John Paul — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 11:20:29 +0000

I think this is a horrible idea. Please show us some numbers of this pilot program. I foresee a very steady decline in the cash flow of the business. Just paying 1 or 2 people to work here compared to how much it costs to park versus the chances of people parking make this worthless. I think our resources would be better suited towards a better solution, such as a parking lot. Just so we know, I find it funny that the rest of the US is laughing at us. You can see it for yourself on Jay Leno : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvXdF37ItZ0

By: Staff

Staff — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:44:17 +0000

Glad to see that the valet parking spaces were relocated to the meter parking lot area. Faculty & Staff now have their 5 spaces back.

By: SB

SB — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 11:28:25 +0000

What other university in the nation does this, I've asked many colleagues and they think it's absolutely absurd. Is this an academic institution or a club on South beach?? Students automatically pay for parking each semester, what are they doing with this money?? There is already a parking problem on this campus, how dare them try to exploit students, who have already paid for this service!!! Who even approved such a venture?? This is a joke!!! As for on campus visitors, why not do what every other school does, metered parking!! Just another ridiculous way of exploiting the students!!! I feel especially sorry for the International students who pay almost $8000. a semester!!!

By: Meri

Meri — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:13:41 +0000

I think this is a horrible idea because as most have already expressed, there is NO PARKING at FIU unless you get there from 8 AM or after 6PM. But hey I guess P&T thinks 20 bucks a day is cheaper than the ticket for parking in a faculty spot right?

By: Cindie R

Cindie R — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:06:09 +0000

There is going to be a parking garage built next to Red, across from the new nursing building that is being built. Also, I think instead of posting these ideas, you should actually tell someone like the student government, who I believe makes the charges for the parking decals. I've asked before the parking office why we have to pay the fee for the decal, if we don't even have a vehicle, and they said to speak to the student association,which I believe it to be the student government..

Hope this helps! Make a difference.

By: Jasmin A.

Jasmin A. — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:42:59 +0000

How about building a new parking garage or making more spots for us? Instead, they take them away! I'd like to know where the profit of this little "pilot program" is going to be dispursed…. in the pockets of people who don't even need more money! Budget cuts huh? Yeah right… raise our tuition and fees and THEN give us less for our money. I hope people do NOT use this system!! At the end, the pilot should be proved not necessary.

By: Juan E.

Juan E. — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:02:22 +0000

Don't like the idea because this takes parking spots away from student's who don't have the money to pay for this. Another waste of space just like the carpool parking spots which are always empty. Who carpool's in miami please, everyone has a car. and I agree with the person that mentioned above that this isn't south beach, $20, c'mon?

By: yf

yf — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:48:02 +0000

Instead of wasting my time and money thinking about valet services they should be wondering how to address the current shortage of parking for students. parking is absolutely horrendous. i can't tell you how many times i've circled the entire campus at 5:30pm just waiting for anything to open up. the p&t dept is a complete mockery. its absurd that parking is considered a privileged. if it *is* a privilege, then my parking fees shouldn't be mandatory.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:58:41 +0000

Ok, so this basically means that on top of paying for tuition and books and a parking decal now we also have the pleasure of paying for valet parking. Thats great! The whiz behind this idea probably figured that students will have an even harder time finding parking now (since most spots will be designated for valet services) and thus wanting to avoid being late to class will fork over $10 to avoid the endless search for parking. And it will be a minimum of $10 because classes alone are over an hour long and you still need to walk to class maybe chat with the professor after and then walk back, definitely totals to over an hour.

And who has been hired to valet our cars? I rather not have a work-study drive around in my car unsupervised and maybe stop and pick up some friends while their at it – no thanks! And if FIU hired a professional service, how exactly does this fit into the hotly debated budget?

As far as vouchers go, if a prospective sponsor is considering donating money to our school then what better way to start than by paying for their own parking? It's like saying "Welcome to FIU, no we cannot pay for your parking because our school is in a critical situation and we surely could use all the financial support we could get…let us show you around so you can see what other areas need improvement." If they are donating thousands of dollars whats another $3 gonna hurt?

By: Staff

Staff — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:17:41 +0000

The spots in Lot 3 have taken over 5 Faculty/Staff Parking spaces. As a staff member that pays on a yearly basis for a decal, I find this appalling. The spots should have replaced 5 metered spaces since it is a revenue generating venture and I don't foresee our F/S decals decreasing in price anytime soon.

By: Vivian

Vivian — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 04:53:29 +0000

Does anyone really believe anything P&T does is to benefit students? Remember that as a student, you will have to pay for parking fees regardless of whether you actually have a car or not and no matter how bad the parking situation is. There's simply no incentive for them to provide students with better services or better parking spaces and that won't change until they stop forcing everyone to pay the same ridiculous fee and have to actually work for it.

Many have said that the money they'll charge for valet parking is simply too much; well, not if you are in the board of trustee's or any other wealthy person visiting the university and specially not for someone that the university just wants to impress and pays for their voucher (which will be many.) This is clearly not designed with the majority of the university community in mind, it's just a way to bring a new level of service to those that the university management deem worthy.

By: Sarvesh Tiwari

Sarvesh Tiwari — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 01:58:23 +0000

I guess they're just handing out 'Director of ____" titles now-a-days, eh Foster? Little to nothing makes sense about this RANDOM idea. Pros: woohoo, valet parking. Cons: price, less spots for non-valeting students, more confusion between people waiting for valet and people coming to pick up their kids. -_-

By: Ana-Sofia

Ana-Sofia — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:32:15 +0000

This is a ridiculous plan.

By: Daniel Salazar

Daniel Salazar — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 11:20:28 +0000

This is absurd that he is impleting this at this rate. I was a student at FIU and had plans on opening a valet service for 5 dollars a day and would of offered a free red bull or water to students. This makes me sad to see such a great idea go to waste.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:27:32 +0000

$5 per hour is too expensive. Some places charge $3 per day. If a student is in a hurry for a class that lasts 3 hours…imagine paying $15. I would not make use of the serive…too expensive.

By: Meredith Peyser

Meredith Peyser — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 11:05:17 +0000

If more of the student spaces are going to be taken for this valet service, then the "required" parking fee for each student should be changed to only the students who park in the lots, as more and more students will be taking the bus or carpooling. I don't think that students who are not able to park, as there aren't enough spaces, should have to pay around $70.00 a semester. That money is much better spent on school supplies, not the valet service.

If none of the student spaces are going to be utilized for this new endeavor, then kudos to the parking department for thinking of the students for a change. If this is the case, then I fully support it. Maybe some of the proceeds can be used for another parking garage on the perimeter.

By: Tom Daniels

Tom Daniels — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 20:50:53 +0000

How Miami… This isn't a nightclub. I'm a graduate student and I have attended many different institutions and this is rather ridiculous. This will not "create" anything… obviously. What will likely occur is that people will start getting awarded free valet parking service like the passes they were talking about. Then those people will begin having a vested interest in continuing the service whether it is "profitable" for the institution or not (bearing in mind that "profit" also needs to include the cost in time incurred to other offices in managing the service or even watching over a private contractor). How about starting up a bus or tram system like they have at UCF where everyone can get on and off as it passes their building… instead of using out current individual golf cart system where injured people have to wait on girls that want to flirt with the golf cart drivers. We could cooperate with the architecture department in designing lines and be a model for other institutions.

By: LIsa Jean

LIsa Jean — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 18:10:36 +0000

Looking at the prices, I wonder how the university will use the profits that will be gain from this “little” business. Are we going to build a parking complex that is benefit the lack of feasible parking? Mind you, if you use the ground parking lot near the book store, the faculty’s and student’s, well mostly students, parking spaces will be limited. I don’t like the idea period. I already hate the system that we have now regarding: limited spaces, ridiculous parking fees, and violations policies that are pointless. I am surely not paying $20 a day or even $5 an hour. Go lay on an egg with that crap. I agree with the young lady or man that said that this school is not south beach. Amen, to that!!!

By: Leticia Gonzalez

Leticia Gonzalez — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:50:19 +0000

I like this idea for visitors especially. It would be great if this takes up the metered spots and not the students spots, and that the price decreases as well. Between carpool spaces taking away some of the students parking spots, soon we will be left with hardly any spots left, creating more traffic.