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Opinion: Rollins parking decal system should be more efficient

Graphic by Francisco Wang Yu

As a commuter student, I have had the same car for my last two years at Rollins. Yet, even though I still have the same vehicle, I still have to submit all my information each year to Campus Safety. 

The Rollins parking pass system has been a part of Campus Safety for many years. Each year, Campus Safety tries to improve the process.

The current parking pass process requires students to enter their vehicle information through Foxlink and upload a photo of their registration; students repeat this process when purchasing their pass each year or semester. 

Once a student’s vehicle is registered with the school and the student purchases the parking decal, they are permitted to park on campus. 

But if the year, make, and model of your vehicle has not changed, then I think there should be an option on Foxlink for “no change in vehicle information.” Students then would only have to upload a photo of their current vehicle registration.

I do believe the process enhances safety for Rollins students, since the decals allow Campus Safety to know what vehicles students drive and can distinguish whether a vehicle is registered by a student or not. 

In fact, this process is the same for other colleges and universities in Florida. On the other hand, some colleges offer an option for students to purchase hang tag permits. Rollins does offer hang tag permits, but they are only available for students who reside in Sutton Place and park in the Sutton parking lot. 

If hang tags have worked for the Sutton residents and there have been limited violations or concerns, I think this type of permit could be offered for purchase to all students who have vehicles on campus. 

Campus Safety’s concern with making hang tags for all students is whether the hang tag would be transferred between owners. Since this is a very valid concern, I would suggest that if Rollins offered the hang tag option to all students, it should still go through the same registration process as the adhesive decal. Students could choose whether they want to purchase the hang tag permit or an adhesive decal.

Other private colleges and universities in Florida such as Lynn University, Flagler College, and University of Miami have designated parking zones either for residential or commuter students. Parking passes are designed so that they correlate with a color or designated lot. 

The University of Miami has parking areas that are color zoned (i.e. red, brown, white, etc.), where students have to park in their assigned color zone within a parking lot or garage. By using designated lots identified by color or number, privileges could be granted to upperclassmen, such as having surface level parking. 

Due to COVID-19, Rollins allowed first-year students to bring cars to campus. Since this has created an influx of vehicles, adapting a system similar to Lynn University, Flagler College, or University of Miami would be more efficient for students because they would be assigned to designated lots. 

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur or Rollins College.

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