Campus News

Students deal with parking fees

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  One of the biggest issues Bethel College students deal with is the financial cost for attending school. Parking can be one of those things that adds to the cost and some students feel the parking fees are a problem. “As a nontraditional student who is attending Bethel through the Elkhart campus and has not been to school in 33 years, I find it unfair to be charged 50 dollars for a parking permit which I will only use when I go to the bookstore,”said junior Beth Thurston. "The campus pushed it, so I bought it. If I lived on campus, I would have that extra fee too, along with my dining hall food bill and dorm bill.” It seems as if every year new fees, and tuition hikes add to the woes of the average college student. But is it really happening here at Bethel? “A parking fee of 50 dollars has been assessed to both traditional and adult students the last several years,” said Jane Hogue, an administrative assistant from the Student Development office. Commuters pay the same amount as residents but because of reserved spaces, and the shifting schedule of adult evening classes they are not allowed to park closer to where classes are held. “We should have to pay less or be allowed to park anywhere on campus if we pay the same amount,” said senior Elizabeth Serrano. While dorm fees, and rent for some perimeter and married housing seems high in comparison with off-campus housing, some students are better off. Among the benefits for those able to live off campus are apartment complexes that offer special discounts, people who offer special rates for Bethel students, and access to public transportation to and from Bethel College. “Commuting to class is a lot cheaper than living on campus,” said senior Nakita Walker. Other students prefer the peace and quiet of off campus housing to the relative noise and uncertainty associated with dorm life. “I have considered living on campus but the thought of rooming with someone I don’t really know makes me nervous, said sophomore Charles Walker. " I am kind of a private guy when it comes to certain things” said Charles Walker, a sophomore. “I live by myself in an apartment complex about 15 minutes away from Bethel. It provides me the opportunity for peace and quiet while I work on my homework.”
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