UTRGV will not be enforcing certain zone parking areas during the fall semester and will increase VBucks incentives for eligible students.
According to Associate Vice President for University Marketing and Communications Patrick Gonzales, UTRGV came to the decision to eliminate parking permits to assist students but felt an incentive was still necessary.
“We decided to increase the VBucks based on the amount it would cost to get just a fall semester Zone 2 parking pass,” Gonzales said.
Originally, students who attended six hours in summer sessions, were eligible to receive a free Zone 2 parking permit as part of the Summer Relief Package. Incoming freshmen who were eligible for the Fall Relief Package would have received a free Zone 1 permit.
Gonzales said Summer Relief Package students will receive a $50 increase in VBucks. Incoming freshmen eligible for the Fall Relief Package’s Zone 1 permit will receive a $25 increase in VBucks as those permits are lower in cost for purchase.
According to an email sent to eligible Summer Relief Package students from the UTRGV Scholarships Office, VBucks will be in students’ accounts by Sept. 1.
Director of Parking Services Pablo Aguilar said Zone 1 And Zone 2 will be open parking areas for the fall semester.
Aguilar also said enforcement of areas such as Zone 3 and Zone 5 and disabled parking spaces will continue.
“We are going to be enforcing those other areas,” he said. “Red zones, fire zones, any drop-off, loading, and unloading [zones]. That’s going to remain consistent with what we’re doing right now with a mix of student employees and our full-time staff that we have in parking services.”
Aguilar said students who may have already purchased a pass will be receiving a refund.
According to a UTRGV email sent to the campus community on Aug. 14, parking enforcement policy is subject to change in Spring 2021.
FOR VAQUERO NEWS, I’M JUSTIN ELIZALDE
