Free Parking Plan For New Wayne State Freshmen Aims To Help Students Transition To College Life

There are a lot of costs associated with college – and at Wayne State University, one of them is parking. Currently, students pay $287 per semester for assigned parking.

To help encourage participation in university events and programs, as well as engage with other students and professors, Wayne State University has announced a free parking pilot program to support student success.

The university will offer parking to newly admitted freshmen – in particular, those who are first-time at any college – at no cost for the fall 2016 semester.

“Our strategic plan outlines student success as a top focus area,” said President M. Roy Wilson in a statement. “Parking can be challenging for first-time college students, especially those attending urban institutions. We want to eliminate as many barriers as possible to ensure their successful transition to college life, and this parking program is a step in the right direction.”

The Free Parking Initiative is expected to cover one semester. The Office of the President and university parking officials will then evaluate the program to determine if and when it will be continued.

Approximately 1,400 freshmen purchase parking permits each fall.

The university has taken other measures to better serve students, including a new class scheduling matrix.

Starting winter 2017, classes will begin on the hour and half hour and will run for 50 instructional minutes per hour — instead of the current 55 minutes — to give students enough time to get from one class to the next.

Additional information, including details about eligibility requirements and registration, will be available in July.