The price of parking permits has increased 13% since last year, from $195 during the 2021-2022 academic year to $220 for 2022-2023. 

According to William Corner, director of Campus Safety, the rise in cost stems largely from a shift in data-storage software. Since 2020, Calvin has been in the process of consolidating data management for various departments into Workday, an information system software. “The old permit ticket system we had is 20-25 years old, and it couldn’t be supported in Workday,” Corner said. 

The newer software allows students to register online more easily and use credit or debit for payments, an option that was not accepted in the old system. However, the change comes at a price. 

While not the sole reason for the price increase, the additional cost of the newer software was an important factor in the decision to raise prices. “If we could have kept our old system, [permits] probably would have been the same price this year as last year,” Corner said.

Even with the price hike, Calvin’s parking fees are relatively low compared to other universities. He doesn’t anticipate that significant price increases will be an annual trend. “I’m hopeful that now that we have a new system in place that we won’t have to do another one next year, so then it kind of stabilizes permit costs for the future,” Corner said.