CSUMB students demand free parking, calling it an issue of educational equity.

On top of tuition and fees, books and other living expenses, CSU Monterey Bay students who need parking can pay up to $500 per year for a permit, and that, some say, is just not fair. Around 40 students took to the pavement on Monday, May 8, demanding that the university provide free parking for all students.

It’s a matter of educational equity, they said. At a university where 72 percent of students are on some form of financial aid and 53 percent are the first in their family to attend college, charging hundreds of dollars for parking discourages some students from fully participating in pursuing their education.

“This is an educational equity issue, and an economic issue, a disability/justice/mobility issue,” states an online petition started by Students for Quality Education Monterey Bay. They said when parking is not available close to campus, students must seek parking in lots farther away, creating an issue for students with mobility issues. (The group also contends it is a race issue due to “charging for parking on stolen Indigenous land.”)

A CSUMB spokesperson says in an email that charging for parking is required by state law. "While we understand that students are frustrated with parking fees, like all CSU campuses, CSUMB follows the state Education Code that requires us to charge for parking permits so that we can manage and maintain safe parking facilities for all campus stakeholders," he said.

According to CSUMB, a recent study of parking at the university found that 62 percent of spaces are used during peak hours, "so students, staff, faculty and visitors should be able to find parking on campus at any time of the day."

In a survey created by student organizers, 30.7 percent of 179 students surveyed said paying for parking limits their involvement in school activities. Another 30 percent said they sometimes give up coming to the university or have skipped a class if they couldn’t find an available parking spot. Just under 25 percent said they “often” or “always” miss classes due to the same reason.

Protestors also demanded university officials be more flexible when it comes to issuing parking citations—$45 each—including being more lenient during the first week back when students are moving into on-campus housing but don’t have parking permits yet. Almost half of those surveyed said they “strongly agree” that receiving a parking citation affects their ability to focus on school, and 25 percent said they “agree.”

Over 67 percent either “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that receiving a citation affects their ability to pay for basic needs like food and rent.

One of the protesters' demands was for warnings ahead of citations. The university spokesperson said parking officers are  encouraged to use discretion in issuing a warning on a first permit violation.