The Government of the Student Body is teaming up with the Department of Public Safety to identify the parking needs of students, as DPS prepares to launch a $12.5 million parking project.

GSB will work “hand in hand” with the DPS Parking Division on the project to add more than 1,200 new parking spaces on campus within the next several years, said Joe Darr, off campus.

“We want to give DPS an idea of what students are looking for when it comes to parking,” he said.

DPS Capt. Doug Houghton will be on hand tonight at the GSB meeting to present a program to the senate detailing the plans of the proposed parking project.

“The idea here is to solicit comments from the various campus organizations about the proposal,” he said. “For the most part, I want all the feedback that anyone wants to give us.”

There are significant problems with the availability of parking spots on campus, Darr said, especially for students who live in residence halls and the greek community.

“Increased parking is always a good thing,” he said. “The more parking, the better.”

Andrew Kothenbeutel, TRA, said more than 200 students living in the greek community have parking problems, and many students living in residence halls had to put their cars in temporary parking lots first semester after the stadium lots were filled.

“There’s more and more students bringing cars each year,” Kothenbeutel said. “It’s a situation where students want more parking and need more parking, but up until now, DPS hasn’t had the options and resources to deal with it.”

The biggest obstacle in the way of the $12.5 million project will be its funding, Houghton said.

“It’s an ambitious plan,” he said. “This is a good, solid proposal to get us where we need to be without being extravagant.”

Students are going to have to pay more in the future for parking permits as a means to support the costs of the construction project, Kothenbeutel said.

“I just want to make sure students are getting their money’s worth out of this plan,” he said. “We have to talk to the students and tell them what’s going on.”

The cost of regular parking permits would increase $15 each year for the next three years, Kothenbeutel said, and stadium parking permits would increase $5 each year for the next three years.

“This project will provide parking for students who are here now and students who will come in the future,” he said. “It allows everyone to expand and grow as Iowa State continues to expand and grow.”

The GSB Senate will meet at 7 tonight in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union. The following issues will be discussed:

Special Orders

A senate bill to remove and replace the current impeachment bylaws with an updated version of Chapter 14. By Luken and Kothenbeutel.

A senate bill to remove the $10 filing fee student organizations currently are required to pay to support the costs of the allocation process. By Luken, Kothenbeutel and others.

A senate order to require anyone who wishes to vote for a specialty seat to register three weeks prior to the general election instead of six. By Kothenbeutel, Stallmann and others.

A senate order to require a case to be filed with the Supreme Court before the branch can make a ruling. By Luken, Kothenbeutel and others.

New Businessp>

A senate bill to amend the Government of the Student Body bylaws to reflect the name change of Hawthorn Court Community to Frederiksen Court Community. By Kothenbeutel and Marvin.

A senate order to amend the Government of the Student Body Constitution to reflect the name change of Hawthorn Court Community to Frederiksen Court Community. By Kothenbeutel and Marvin.

A senate resolution to endorse a Department of Public Safety Parking Proposal that would create a significant change in the parking situation at Iowa State. By Luken, Darr and others.

A senate order to change the role of the GSB Appointment Committee. By Luken, Kothenbeutel and others.

A senate order to require the president and vice president of the student body to be full-time students. By Marvin.