The Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law has signed a multi-year contract with Central Parking Systems to offer downtown parking to students, faculty and staff at discounted rates, but some are saying it comes at too great of a cost.
Students will have the option of parking in one of two garages for about $40-60 per month, said Dan Brown, business officer at the law school. The rate will be dependent on how many students sign up for the parking garage deal.
Although the group rate given to The U of M is cheaper than the typical $71-per-month charge, some feel that the deal isn't good enough.
"It's a big jump from the $72 per semester some students pay (for priority parking at The U of M)," said Yael Julian, second-year law student.
Students like Eric Mogy, second-year law student, said law students were paying $13,710 for instate tuition and fees, which should already cover the cost of parking.
The monthly charge that adds up could hurt some students financially, he said.
"If they're going to start charging everyone, then it needs to be incorporated into our tuition as a whole, instead of having about $250 come out of our pockets," he said.
Law students will still have to pay for general admissions parking at the main campus in addition to parking garage rates because general admission parking fees will continue to be included in students' program fees in the spring, Brown said.
However, the Tennessee Board of Regents could vote to rescind the parking fee if that's what students want, he said.
"We have asked the students for input, and they are polling the students," he continued. "Because if the fees are in there, they still get a pass (for the main campus)."
Having to pay the $30 general access parking fee in addition to downtown parking costs has some students concerned.
"A lot of people think it is unfair because they probably would not be coming back to the main campus," said Seth Guess, first-year law student.
Ben Rogers, general manager of Central Parking Systems in Memphis, said group rates are popular for downtown parking, but The University's deal was unique.
"Most of the group rates are under one account, but with this one, every student will have their own parking account," he said.
Despite the additional costs of downtown parking, Anne Davis, third-year law student, said the new location would be worth the price.
"Even if I had to walk a mile, I would still be excited about the move," she said. "I see the move downtown as a total package, and the parking is just one little piece of it when you take it in conjunction with being downtown in the legal hub of the city."
Beyond the payment for parking, students like Julian are also worried about the cost to her safety.
"Most are concerned about the number of night classes that will be letting out around 4 or 5 (p.m.)," she said. "It will already be dark during the winter."
This doesn't include the large number of students who will be spending most of their free time in the law library, she said.
Others take a more ominous position.
"Students are taking bets on how long it will be before one of us gets mugged," said a student who wished to be left unnamed. "The outside limit is three weeks. Everyone is expecting an incident within a few weeks."
Not everyone is as concerned, though.
"With the parking they're going to provide, they will have some sort of security," said Kevin McCormack, third-year law student and graduate assistant. "If we tried to go somewhere else, we would be out on our own."
While tuition and fees will not cover parking, they will cover security at the new location.
"The University has hired additional campus police officers, so we'll have one campus police officer 24/7, and from 7 a.m. to 11 at night, The University will hire private security guards," he said.
Murray Guard Inc. will provide two security guards for each night shift, in addition to the campus police officer, Brown said.
Some students say the number of guards is more than adequate for the law school and its students.
Although he wouldn't feel safe walking on his own to his car at night, the presence of guards changes that, McCormack said.
Anna Benson, first-year law student, said she would feel safe while walking from either garage to the building because she trusts The University's safety protocols.
"I've heard they'll have security there, and I'm not the kind of person where that kind of stuff really worries me," she said.
The school will move to its new downtown location at the intersection of Madison Avenue and Front Street over the winter break.
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