I don't object to paying for parking, but universities can make the arrangements a little more flexible.
For example, my apartment is down by Wayne State and there are two WSU parking lots adjacent it to it (one literally beside my building and the other across the street). Buying a pass with WSU would allow me to park overnight in the close-ish parking structure on the other side of Cass but not access it at night/weekends, or park in the structure on the other side of campus and have access at night and on weekends. Nothing was said about the lots adjacent to my building, but last I checked they weren't available at night either. I think that's pretty silly, since the only thing keeping me (or someone else) from my car if I park in a WSU structure/lot is a simple programmable barrier gate. Since I'm not a student at WSU (I room with two students however), I'd have to pay $415 to park during the Winter 2015 semester.
Contrast this to the gas station on the other side of Woodward, which is always open and offers parking for $65/month (recently increased from $50/month). If it was still $50/month I'd never consider switching over to WSU, but if WSU would allow me to access my car whenever, I'd pay the tiny increase in price it would cost to switch.
For example, my apartment is down by Wayne State and there are two WSU parking lots adjacent it to it (one literally beside my building and the other across the street). Buying a pass with WSU would allow me to park overnight in the close-ish parking structure on the other side of Cass but not access it at night/weekends, or park in the structure on the other side of campus and have access at night and on weekends. Nothing was said about the lots adjacent to my building, but last I checked they weren't available at night either. I think that's pretty silly, since the only thing keeping me (or someone else) from my car if I park in a WSU structure/lot is a simple programmable barrier gate. Since I'm not a student at WSU (I room with two students however), I'd have to pay $415 to park during the Winter 2015 semester.
Contrast this to the gas station on the other side of Woodward, which is always open and offers parking for $65/month (recently increased from $50/month). If it was still $50/month I'd never consider switching over to WSU, but if WSU would allow me to access my car whenever, I'd pay the tiny increase in price it would cost to switch.