CEDAR FALLS — The Iowa Board of Regents gave final approval to parking rate and fine increases on the second day of its April meeting Thursday.

The measure increases illegal parking fines from $15 to $30, expired meter fines and failure to purchase a parking receipt fines from $7.50 to $10 and counterfeiting or unauthorized possession of a parking tag from $80 to $150.

Illegal parking is defined by the Department of Public Safety is “parking in any place on campus other than those areas designated

for parking.”

The measure passed without discussion when the Regents approved the consent agenda.

Warren Madden, vice president for business and finance, told the Regents at its March meeting that increases are not intended to boost Parking Division revenue but merely to discourage drivers from committing illegal acts.

Rates to park at the university also increased. Most rates rose about 5 percent. The largest raise in rates was a $38 increase in 24-hour reserved parking tags. In a presentation about how the Professional and Scientific Council is dealing with cuts, Lynne Mumm, president of the Professional and Scientific Council, said the group disagreed with the increase because members were already doing their part in handling the cuts.

“While we understand the need for the self-supporting parking operation to cover their expenses, employees feel the timing is poor,” she said. “Employees are making personal sacrifices for the common good. It isn’t the 6 dollar cost for the general staff permit that upsets people, but rather the insult that not everyone at the university understands the magnitude of the budget cuts.”

She said it was unacceptable for employees to have to pay an increase when many employees may have to take on a larger workload because of staff cuts and positions being left unfilled.