THE ISSUE: A recent proposal would increase student fees by $10.40 to cover costs associated with night parking. This is to replace the proposed plan of charging students for nighttime parking permits. Two members of the DTH Editorial Board debate their side of the issue. View the other side of the argument.
The addition of $10.40 to student fees to cover costs in parking is inherently unfair and should not have replaced the $227 cost for an annual nighttime parking permit.
According to the U.S. News & World Report, only 14 percent of students at UNC own cars.
It is ridiculous to charge the entirety of the student population for something that less than one-fifth of it will use.
Many will equate this to other student fees, following the argument that all students must pay athletic fees even though they may never attend a sporting event. Therefore, it is reasonable to charge all students for parking spaces that they may never fill.
This logic is faulty in that it equates a choice with ability. Though students may deplore athletics, they are still given a OneCard that grants them access to it.
In contrast, far from all students are granted a car to park on campus. For many, financial constraints make it impossible to have a car in Chapel Hill.
The permit is also superior to the fee in that it promotes efficiency across the board.
Many of the students driving to campus at night live well within walking distance. The presence of these students with viable alternatives makes it much harder for those without to find a space.
The addition of this fee would ensure that only those who truly need the parking spaces would be in the lots after 5 p.m.
