Starting in July, Iowa State students and faculty may be paying more for campus parking permits.

The state Board of Regents will vote on the proposed rate increases at a meeting today at the Des Moines International Airport.

While parking permit rates for general staff, commuters, reserved, vendor and motorcycle spots will increase, 24-hour reserved and departmental spots are in for the biggest hike.

The parking price hikes were proposed for two reasons: a need to generate funds to support future parking development on campus and to utilize current on-campus parking spaces, said Warren Madden, ISU vice-president of business and finance.

“Our problem is not a lack of parking on campus, but parking is not in the right places,” Madden said. Hopefully, in raising the prices of 24-hour and reserved permits, fewer permits will be purchased and more spaces will be freed for on-campus parking, he said.

“I don’t believe anyone will be forced to change where they park, [however] the prices may force people to make decisions about how much they’re willing to pay to park,” Madden said.

A letter explaining the parking price increases will be sent to faculty members today, said Barb Williams, a clerk at ISU Department of Public Safety. “I’m sure we’re going to get bombarded with calls,” she said.

Madden said that after the large reaction to the proposal of moving faculty parking to the ISU Center, he does not anticipate a big reaction to the parking price hikes. “We’ll have to see how people react,” Madden said.

Individuals with 24-hour permits can park in general staff lots, loading zones and vendor and service zones, Williams said. Departmental permit carriers have the same parking rights as those with 24-hour permits, but they must follow time restrictions on vendor and service signs, Williams said. Each department at ISU is granted two departmental parking permits, but may request additional permits for work-related needs.

The parking rate increases, recommended by Rich and Associates, a group of parking consultants hired to examine the parking situation at ISU, are expected to generate about $80,000 in additional revenue. This money will be used to allow development of additional parking resources on campus.

“We currently are evaluating the recommendations of the consultants and analyzing comments from faculty,” Madden said.

The report of Rich and Associates outlines several possible locations for a parking structure on campus. The report also discusses the paving of new parking lots on campus and expanding shuttle service to outlying parking areas.

“It is possible the university will approve a new parking facility in the next year,” Madden said.