J-3

How come we can only park in the back half of this parking lots its stupid there is just simply no reason for this at all they are just empty spots that sit there all day i guess they rather have use walk through the freezing cold for no reason. I think if they are going to have an overflow place it needs to be moved close to school at least make the front part of j-3 normal parking and make the back over flow that will at least cut the walking distance in half. Leave comments

Security in parking lots

There is not much security in the parking lots at this school basically anything can happen to your car once you leave it out in the parking lot all day while in class or even worse all night while your are sleeping.this makes me nervous some times what if some just randomly drives in the parking lot knowing there is very little security band tries to break into a car and steals all there belongs. i know of one kid this has happen to and i don't know how there have not been more cases over the year its very shocking to me.The police can only cover so much ground on the campus not all is covered at all times i think this is a problem that needs to be fixed fast.

Increase the size of parking spots.

I know i don't speak for many people at this school but i drive my dads truck it is huge i can barely fit into one spot with out sticking out to far in the driving lane.There is only a few spots t hat it is easy for me to get into and this are the ones where i can just pull straight into with out have to back up and maneuver around other cars to do so.But when i am forced to park in a small spot i dread the next day when i have to leave the spot and have a very tight squeeze to be able to get out barely touching the other cars. So i think it will be great if the school could expand the parking spots to make it easier for guys like me with big blue monster trucks to get in and out of spots easier.

Swelling Populations and limited man power: No Problem

Located in rural University Center, Michigan,
Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) has tripled
the student population during the last 20 years to
9,600 students, yet its parking service department’s
manpower and IT support was very limited. In fact,
SVSU relies on the county court system to collect
overdue ticket payments. So when the county court
system demanded they use a paperless system
instead of just providing paper tickets, the
university needed to adapt.
“We didn’t have all the info we needed in our
system, so it was difficult to track and collect on
past-due tickets,” said Lori Lipinski, Resources
Supervisor, SVSU. “And, we were required to work
in the 21st Century – with limited manpower.”
SVSU used three older DOS based handhelds,
which meant transferring data took twenty minutes
or more each morning. They also provided paper
tickets, which took much more time to issue and
left room for inaccuracy.
“Since the court system can no longer accept paper
tickets, we had to do something quickly. We were
already behind on collecting past due tickets by
about a year due to the change,” added Lipinski.
Lipinski turned to T2 System’s PowerPark Flex™ to
manage SVSU’s data, paperwork and parking
tickets. Since implementation, the department has
become much more efficient using the same small
staff and just two handhelds in the field.
“The system is very precise and all aspects of
parking are supported - permits, payments,
tracking, demand control, upgrades, backups, etc.
For example, if we need to look at a specific
citation or permit, its all on one screen. The data
interlinks together smoothly and we can access it
much faster,” added Lipinski. “We used to have to
switch screens all the time to plug in the right info,
which was slow and annoying,” she added.
Data and past citation information can now be
tracked quickly. And, since much less paperwork is
required, SVSU is able to catch up on past due
citations and other tasks.
SVSU no longer needs to find a hard copy of the
past due ticket to notify violators and PowerPark
Flex is able to use the past due ticket number to
send the right letter of notification.
“We have the ability to send more frequent
reminders and it has made a huge difference in
collections,” said Lipinski.
SVSU now collects approximately 75 percent of its
citations. Additionally, the T2 system allows for
greater accountability and accuracy in collections.
“When people come to the office or mail their
ticket payments, each employee is issued their own
cash drawer. We have yet to have a problem with
money shrinkage.”

Parking in Ryder times restrictions

Parking in Ryder should be accessible for any student that lives on campus because we are paying all the extra money to live on campus why cant we just park there.i mean why do the commuters get to Park so close when they are paying less because that's all colleges care about is getting there money so why not reward the people staying on campus by letting us park in Ryder i really think the school should consider it. Leave comments.

Parking closer to dorms.

How many times have you had to take a long walk because you maybe got to campus to late and could not find a parking spot i know i have i think its time for a new lot that is closer to the dorms. Because come on who wants to walk from the overflow parking lot that is just scary to do especially at night all by your self you have no clue what is out there.Or if they at least do not do that i think some of the building should stay open that can only be accessible by a student with there svsu id card and a special pin number so they don't have to walk outside in the dark alone.

Listen to us SVSU!

you would think that after all the complaining the school would finally get annoyed with the students always talking about how much they hate the parking here and it needs to be fixed. I think they have finally listened because they are staring to improve the situation for example the new building they are building by the eduction building is going to add an additional 400 parking spots which will be a big help as the number of students that attend SVSU is growing faster than ever and is reaching new heights in the number of students attending. Hopefully they can get fund so they can just build a whole new parking lot which will be for commuter to empty out some of the spots that students who live on campus need.

OurMidland.com on improvements for our parking lots in the summer of 2010.

Campus improvements at Saginaw Valley State University this summer will include resurfacing parking lots, expanding heating and cooling and updating tennis courts, at a total cost of about $6.25 million.

Also students will see a 3.8 percent hike in room and board for the 2010-11 academic year.

The SVSU Board of Control approved the series of capital projects during its monthly meeting.

Incoming freshmen who select the most popular meal plan will pay $7,170 for the 2010-11 academic year, up from $6,910, an increase of $260.

For returning students whose meal plan participation is optional, those in the Living Centers will be charged between $4,170 and $4,880 for lodging, depending on the number of students living in a room. Rates for students living in University Village will range from $5,100 to $5,850. Students living in Pine Grove Apartments will see rates ranging from $3,790 for a double bedroom unit to $5,100 for a four bedroom unit.

J.J. Boehm, SVSU director of media relations, said up to $1.8 million will be spent on resurfacing existing parking lots E, J1 and J2 as well as expanding lot F and possibly constructing a new lot east of Davis Road, near the Ryder Center.

About 400 more parking spaces will be added by the fall, as lot H will open in conjunction with the new Health and Human Services Building with 270 spaces there, and lot E will be reconfigured to add about 140 parking spots.

SVSU now has about 5,100 parking spaces on campus.

Also in the works is a $1.9 million upgrade to the chiller loop system used to heat and cool portions of the campus. The underground loop will be expanded to include the new Health and Human Services Building and connect to the building's "innovative aqua-thermal heating and cooling system, extending the resulting energy savings to other campus buildings," Boehm said.

With the new Health and Human Services Building set to open in August and several departments slated to relocate there, office and classroom space in Wickes and Curtiss halls will be renovated for new purposes. Total cost for renovation is estimated at $1.5 million.

The university's outdoor tennis courts, which were originally built in the 1970s and have become costly to maintain, will be rebuilt for $550,000, continuing a series of improvements to SVSU's athletic facilities. Improvements at Living Center North, which opened in 1998, will include carpeting, paint and other materials.

Tickets Being Taken off Cars

The Other day i seen a ticket being slapped right on a car by the campus security the as he was driving away a random person that was just walking by took the ticket off the car and crumbled it up and tossed it on the ground. This is a great problem because after ten days or not paying the ticket to the university it goes to court which in the end will cost you more money.I know they send a letter home but that doesn't show up until after the ten days are over and then do you they tell you that your ticket is being increase because it has nit been paid. I think this is just a lack security that the school has in the parking lots there are zero cameras and just about anything can happen in the back of these parking lots where there is zero ways to help protect your car from everything.

Saginaw News

Enrollment at Saginaw Valley State University passes 10,000; freshman move-in continues
By The Saginaw News
August 28, 2009, 8:03AM
Chris Fryer | The Saginaw News
Relatives and friends help incoming freshman freshmen move belongings from a line of vehicles during the first of two freshman move-in days at Saginaw Valley State University. The second wave of first-year students was to settle into their dorm rooms today.
When Nick Wagner moved in as a freshman at Saginaw Valley State University nine years ago, he was one of about 950 students living on the Kochville Township-based campus.
Thursday, he drove around in a golf cart aiding in the move-in process of nearly that many freshmen.
"We've come a long way, especially since I've been here," said the 27-year-old Wagner, now the university's assistant director of housing and auxiliary operations. "This is an exciting time because you get to see new faces get away from their families for the first time."
This year, the school's enrollment has surpassed 10,000 for the first time in the institution's 46-year history.
Also a first: the roughly 2,700 students who will live on campus now that the university's latest housing addition, Living Center Southwest, is complete.
This year's batch of freshmen is the university's largest, estimated at nearly 1,600. About 70 percent of those newcomers are living on campus this year, and half of them began moving in Thursday -- the second year the university has had freshmen move in over two days.
"About two years ago, we finally reached that critical mass where we couldn't handle having all the freshmen moving in on one day and have it be a positive experience," said Ronald Portwine, assistant vice president of business services. "And that's a good thing. We try to make it as enjoyable as possible for the parents and the kids."
Portwine and Wagner agree that the university's enrollment and housing capacity is at an ideal number.
"We're at our right number," Wagner said. "Hopefully we can not build for a couple years at least, so we can keep a consistent process going."
University officials have said previously they don't plan to build any more housing.
"This really should be it," Portwine said. "We don't want excess. And we're still making mortgages on our new building. We can't just keep building and building."

Fender Bender in the parking lot

So a couple weeks ago my friends car as parked in j-2 and was extremely close to one of the lines in the spot we thought no big deal we should be fine. We were wrong someone side swiped the side of his car and put multiple dents and very long scratch marks in it.I think the school should get cameras to help catch the people that just run into peoples car and then drive off like it never happen something needs to be done.

Some funny videos

The Vanguard Walking best resolution for parking problems

walking best resolution for parking problems
November 20, 2006 —



Editorial
Campus growth over the last several years has served as a catalyst for a number of positive changes to this University, transforming what once was considered solely a commuter school into a more traditional institution. However, with these positive changes there are challenges, and perhaps no such challenge has been as widely discussed as the issue of whether or not there are too few parking spaces available for students.

Earlier this semester, the University completed an in-depth parking study in which it recorded the number of spaces available at five different times of the day over a two-week period. The results of this study suggest that the aforementioned concern is a bit exaggerated, particularly when it comes to commuters.

The numbers indicate that, no matter what time of day, it is highly unlikely a commuter student would be unable to find an available parking space. Of course, the catch here is that these available spots are not what most would consider premium spaces. For example, the numbers confirm what most have already noticed in that parking in D-lot (in front of Science East) is next to impossible. However, the numbers also show that at no time during the study were there ever fewer than 100 spaces available in adjacent E-lot. The bottom line, then, is that parking is just a short walk away.

And walking truly is the main issue here, as some students seem to have a problem understanding that it is an unavoidable part of college life. If almost any student from any other major university would happily trade for the walk some SVSU students complain about, then many of us should take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

What has become of us if we cannot stomach a five-minute walk from E-lot to Science East? Just how far have we digressed if we complain about having to park in the back of J-1? Surely we cannot expect to be able to pull right up alongside our classroom every day, so just where exactly do we get off complaining about parking at all?

Worst yet, the parking complaints almost always come with suggested solutions that are generally as poorly thought out as the complaints themselves. One of the most common is to eliminate meter parking - a move that would free up all of six spaces in D-lot. What most fail to realize, though, is that those six spaces would be gone just as quickly as the other 230 spaces in that lot and essentially accomplish nothing.

In the end, while parking is a challenge from time to time (particularly for those living in some of the Village apartments), it is a challenge that can be overcome with a little patience and a little walk. We should count ourselves lucky that the University does not charge for residential parking or forbid freshman from having cars (both concepts are typical policy at other universities). If it did, we would go from paying nothing and complaining about parking to paying several hundred dollars. And complaining about parking.

Separate Parking lots.

I think that one way we can help solve some of these parking problems can be for the university to make separate parking lots for commuters and people who live on campus.This will be a big help because all of the parking spots during the day are taken up by all the commuters so then i have to wait till after all the classes and then it is a race to see who can get into the best parking spots i hate it.Leave me some comments.

Campus Security Magazine on Law Enforcement and Parking at SVSU

This Parking Enforcement Upgrade Gets an A
Updated parking hardware and software enables Saginaw Valley State University to more efficiently enforce regulations while boosting revenue.




- by Tom Nelson
Lori Lipinski had a problem. This resources supervisor for Saginaw Valley State University’s (SVSU) police department knew that dollars — in the form of uncollected fees from parking citations — were driving off the campus everyday.

To make matters worse, it was difficult to determine exactly how much parking revenue was lost at the rural Michigan university because running reports on the SVSU police department’s circa-1998 software system meant hours of manual data entry from paper tickets.

When the county court system, which collects past-due citation fees for the university, informed Lipinski and university parking coordinator Joyce Payne that it would no longer collect funds unless the university went paperless, it was the death knell for SVSU’s antiquated DOS-based system. Lipinski and Payne suddenly were in the market for new hardware and software to streamline their parking operation.

School Shops Around for Best Solution

When upgrading technology, most universities start with general guidelines of what capabilities are necessary from the new system. In nontechnical terms, those parameters can generally be summarized as: make it efficient, make it cost-effective and make it idiot-proof. SVSU’s parking system upgrade was no different.

Lipinski started her search by talking to other universities — especially those that, like SVSU, operated a parking enforcement division with limited manpower. Saginaw Valley State’s only dedicated full-time professional parking staff member is Payne, who works with about a dozen student employees.

Armed with ideas and tips from her peers at other campuses, Lipinski contacted Indianapolis-based T2 Systems, which had acquired the manufacturer of SVSU’s existing system. Lipinski’s previous experience with the manufacturer had been a positive one — the hardware and software functioned well for the seven years it had been in place but needed updating.

“What we had was wonderful in 1999,” Lipinski says. “But we had to switch screens a lot to go from one program to another, and it was just slow. And we really needed to catch up on the past dues and find an easier way to do reports.”

Franklin McPherson, the manufacturer’s account manager, supplied Lipinski with information on the company’s latest product, as well as information about why the change was necessary and future benefits that could be realized by upgrading. Lipinski used that information to aid her when developing her proposal to explain the upgrade to university administrators.

Lipinski’s proposal highlighted speedy report generation, faster data transfer to and from handheld field units, paperless back-office tracking, easy upgrades and readily available tech support, among other key attributes. The proposal was OK’d by administrators and, in March of last year after about a week of staff training, the university went live with the new system.

Upgraded System Reduces Human Error

The new system immediately revolutionized the way Lipinski, Payne and their staff conducted business. Using two handheld devices with color screens, personnel in the field who were previously limited to only writing citations had access to volumes of information on each vehicle’s status. How many warnings has this vehicle been given? Are there outstanding citations? If so, how many? How much does the owner currently owe the university? Should this vehicle be impounded? All were questions that could now be answered in the field.

“The manual role where personnel are limited to writing paper tickets without a device that offers ready access to that type of data is a very problematic situation,” says T2 product manager Brian Paison. “There is a huge amount of room for human error.”

While campuses with manual systems can load up in-field personnel with tow list printouts, Paison questions the likelihood that those lists will be accurately and consistently scanned for offenders in the field.

“Parking officers in the field at many universities are student employees,” Paison says. “This is someone who’s making a couple dollars to pay their way through school, and it seems unlikely that they are going to dive into a printed list every time they encounter a vehicle in violation to make sure that it’s not on a boot or tow list or requires some specific additional action.”

The new handhelds automated SVSU’s list-check process, eliminating human error and enabling in-field personnel to do their jobs more efficiently.

But perhaps the biggest benefit of the new system — “where the rubber hits the road,” according to Paison — came to those back in the office. “In the field, you’re either writing citations and delivering data, or you’re receiving data back that’s used in the field, but there’s little processing done in the field,” he says. “So when it comes to where we actually create some value, it is in the back office when it is time to collect on those citations.”

For example, if an individual comes into the SVSU police department office to dispute a citation, a representative can quickly and easily access all of the relevant information (including citation and impound records) for all vehicles registered to that person.

The access to data allows reminder and notification letters to be sent from the SVSU back office without the need to glean information from a paper ticket. And perhaps most importantly, the paperless system allowed the university’s collections relationship with the county court to continue uninterrupted.

Solution Can Streamline Parking Permit Process

The upgraded system has several other capabilities that SVSU can opt to use in the future, including what Paison calls “E-business solutions.”

“There’s no reason in today’s world why a university student who goes online to register for classes, selects a dorm room and pays for meals shouldn’t be able to also go online and reserve a parking permit or pay for a parking citation,” he says. “The system is perfectly capable of that, which can be a great benefit if you’ve got a large school that has thousands of people who need to get a parking permit at the beginning of the school year. Having all of them stand in line to get a permit is absolutely unnecessary today.” Online permitting not only eliminates lines and hassles for students but also reduces overtime for staff who would have to be in the office to process the start-of-school rush.

The system can also link to Department of Motor Vehicles’ records in 41 of 50 U.S. states allowing for universities to locate a vehicle’s missing registration information.

With regards to security, T2’s system can attach an emergency note or VIP notice to a vehicle license plate number. If a parking officer encounters that vehicle, the note will automatically be displayed so parking personnel can take appropriate action.

The new handheld hardware also allows personnel in the field to take images of the vehicle on which they are writing a citation. The images are automatically attached to and stored with the citation record. In the event a violator decides to appeal a citation, the images can provide compelling visual evidence of a violation.

For now, however, Lipinski and the SVSU parking staff are simply happy that the system provides a more efficient, effective way to do their jobs as the university continues to grow. “We have a much higher collection percentage now because there is greater accountability and accuracy in our process, and that is all because of the new system,” Lipinski says. SVSU now collects on about 75 percent of its citations, according to T2 Systems.

Tom Nelson is a contributor to Campus Safety.

Snow in Parking lot.

This brings a big problem to mind because the snow is taking up a lot of parking spots that could be filed and prevent me from having to park some times in the overflow parking lot which is a hike to my dorm. this just gets me angry like they cant just move the snow somewhere else on campus instead of just piling it up in back of the parking lots half way out into the parking spot.Another thing is that they need to start plow better because some of these parking lots are horrible and im surprised there is not been any accidents in them yet its insane.

Saginaw News on Parking at SVSU

Saginaw Valley State University to address one of students' biggest gripes -- parking
By Andy Hoag | The Saginaw News
February 10, 2010, 6:45PM
The nearly 3,800 Saginaw Valley State University students that school officials surveyed this fall responded with very good to exemplary satisfaction ratings in every aspect except one: parking.

While the dissatisfaction — typical among SVSU, and other schools’, students — came as no surprise to university officials, this year they’ve decided to address the situation.

By the time students come back to campus in the fall, they’ll have at least another 400 spots to park in and possibly another 600.

University Board of Control members this week approved a plan to spend up to $1.8 million to add the spots to several areas on campus, and it’s coming at a time when students’ satisfaction with parking is at an all-decade low.

In a survey that officials conduct every four years, 3,768 students this fall gave satisfaction ratings that ranged mostly from the low 70 percents to the high 90s on a variety of services, from dining options to tutoring availability.

Their satisfaction with parking, however, has dropped from 40.9 percent in 2001 to 29.3 percent this fall.

Crews working on the construction of the new $28 million Health and Human Services building on the northwest end of campus have taken up about 130 spots normally used for the Regional Education Center. With the new building set to open this fall, those spots will become available again, as will another lot closer to the health building that will add about 270 spots, said Executive Vice President Muladore.

Workers also will repave the main lot used for the Ryder Center, Muladore said. That work should lead to the addition of about 140 spots to a lot also used by students with classes near the Zahnow Library.

Muladore also mentioned the possibility of a new parking lot on the east end of campus north of the athletic fields. The lot, which Muladore stressed is an “if,” would add between 200 and 300 spaces, he said.

“It’s a fairly significant additional number of spaces,” Muladore said.

While Muladore acknowledged the students’ concerns, he added that about 70 percent of students living on campus now bring their car to campus and that the university doesn’t charge a fee, like other universities, for on-campus resident parking. He said he’s reluctant to recommend such a fee but said, “Maybe it’s time to look at it more seriously.”

All students pay a $1.70 per credit hour fee, or $51 for a student taking the average 30 credit hours per year, for parking services, Muladore said, but that fee is “well below” the fees that universities similar to SVSU charge, Muladore said.

In addition to the new parking lots, board members also approved a $1.9 million upgrade to the chiller loop system used to heat and cool portions of the campus and a $1.5 million renovation to Wickes and Curtiss halls.

Board members also approved the final project in the university’s athletic complex renovations. Workers will transform the 10 tennis courts that sit on the southeast end of campus into six that are “sufficient” for the varsity tennis team and general use, President Eric R. Gilbertson said, for a cost of about $550,000.

Meter Parking

Today i decided to meter park because i was just going to be on campus to eat and then leave so the meter sounded like a good plan. So as i put money in and seen how much time you get for the value of the coin you put in. For example a nickel is like 3 minutes a dime is 7 minutes and a quarter is 15 minutes now come on mow 15 minutes I'm calling bs on that one.And another problem i have is u can only put money in for one hour of parking any extra money u put in after an hour basically is a donation to the school this needs to be taken car of.

Problems with parking permits.

First off one of the problems i have is that they are stickers that u just put on your window. Now say for instance if some decides to take your pass you are screwed because u will defiantly get a parking ticket because the police are like vultures and are looking for reasons to give out tickets. The next problem i that if its get stolen you have to pay 50 bucks for a new one even though it was not your fault one bit.I think the school needs to come up with a new system and fix these problems before next year. Leave any comments.

SVSU Vanguard On parking.

u drove to campus today, then you already know: parking lots are filling up fast.

The largest student population ever is now studying on SVSU’s campus.

On Sept. 28, on-campus Parking Services will give students a two-week survey. Campus police will also count the spots available during that time.

The survey is be given during fall and winter semesters to keep an eye on campus parking.

Initially, the building of Living Center Southwest sparked some students’ concerns about parking.

“With more people living on campus, I was afraid that finding a spot . . . would be difficult,” said Alyssa Adams, a chemistry sophomore.

A number of students suggested that commuters get their own parking area. But Parking Services, a division of University Police on campus, said that wasn’t an option.

“It’s not fair to residents, and it’s not an answer,” said Joyce Payne, parking and student employer service coordinator. A commuter-only parking lot would be difficult to monitor, she added.

“There’s an adequate amount of spaces, just not as convenient as all prefer,” Payne said.

Parking was changed since 2008 due to the increase in students. Now, only students living in Village East, Village West and Living Center South can park in the village parking spots north of Collins Drive, where there are 908 resident spots available.

Residents of Living Center North, Southwest and Freshman suites park in the 554 spots in J3 and sections of J2 and J4 south of Collins Drive. Lot G3, located near the Education Building off College Drive, has 294 spots available for residents and commuters.

Pine Grove parking remains the same and residents there still park in Pine Grove Lane.

Few students were ticketed the first two weeks of classes, Payne said.

“University Police gave citations to get people into the office to remind them where they were allowed to park,” Payne said.

Representatives from Parking Services drive around campus to check out parking situations. Handicap and meter parking always will be enforced.

“The parking problem on campus is that all students want a parking spot right outside their front door,” said Rachel Bouwhius, an elementary education sophomore.

“If you can’t find a spot, we will help you,” Payne said.

Students may call the campus police to have someone drive out to where you are and take a look for open spots. The campus police offers a 24/7 escort service. Anyone who feels as if they are parked too far away may contact them for a lift to nearly anywhere on campus.

“At the beginning of the year, parking can be hectic with students adjusting,” Payne said.

After the first month, parking will get better, she added, as students realize their parking areas and the number of vehicles slims down.

People just cant park!

So today when i was driving around the parking lot looking for a spot i noticed that people just do not know how to park. For instance there was 4 cars taking up seven spots come one that a little much don't u think. because of this i had to park in the over flow parking which by the way it on the other side of campus i was pissed.They need to start giving out tickets for cars that are taking up to many spots because it is ridiculous. Comment me Ideas.

Parking in Ryder

I think that students should be aloud to park in ryder at night becasue basicallly it is open all night long and only fills up in the morning so i have no idea why they dont just let us park there.Some times when i am stuck parking in the ovrflow parking lot i feel like it would just be worth it to try my luck and park some where else becasue come on who wants to park half way across campus and walk in below freezing weather.Or even in the early afternoon when it is just as cold at night and you have to walk the hike to your car after basically just hopping out your bed.

Parking ticket

So a couple days ago i got one of those temporary parking passes and it ran out on janaury 26th so that night i parked in the lots where i normally do the back of j-2. When i awoke in the morning and walked out to my car i seen a fat ticket sitting there on my window wrote for that night at 2:30 in the morning. Now honestly i was i supposed to know that they were actually going to give me a ticket that night, it was bs. SO whne i went to go get my new parking pass i asked about my ticket and they said i had one and it needed to be paid by the 9th, the ticket was 20$ and i had no money.FML. So the next day while i was sleeping i got a phone call at 11:30am telling me my ticket was dropped from 20 dollars to 2 dollars which is a plus for me because i had the money.yesssssssssss.so i got up and went to finally pay my ticket before it went to court.