In the wake of the budget crises, Wright State seeks alternative revenue streams to provide more financial stability.
One of the paths WSU may take would be to privatize campus parking.
Though there has been talk of parking and more among officials and other news sources, Jeff Ulliman, vice president of business and finance administration at WSU, said that there is still much more to be considered before a final decision can be made.
“There hasn’t been a specific timeline defined, but we feel like we’re in the discovery phase right now, trying to discover what it really means to contract out parking,” Ulliman said. “There really are, I believe from my novice understanding, a range of possibilities in terms of the economics as well as the management of the operation.”
According to Ulliman, there are a host of concerns that need to be investigated before the administration can even consider making negotiations with any companies that could potentially take over our parking situations.
“We don’t know what the numbers look like until we start putting restraints in the negotiation,” Ulliman said. “We need to understand what this means legally. What will the employment relationship look like, can they continue to use our employees. That’s all that is running through our heads and we’re trying to figure out, and we’re trying to understand the economics as well. It’s a balance between the economics and employer relationship and more.”
The money WSU could expect to get is also unsure, with a range between $5 and 15 million, which would all go directly into the university’s financial reserves to help the university recover from its time of financial remediation.
“For us, right now, there is no consideration to spending that on anything specific,” Ulliman said. “It would be to hold it, get some financial security established, then grow from there.”
Though the money gained from this venture is beneficial, Ulliman claims that faculty and student experiences are most important.
“The economics are great, believe me,” Ulliman said. “I’m the first person to say that we need that money in the bank, but I wouldn’t want to do it at the expense of everyone who has been parking now by making them pay more or drive in potholes, or have fewer spaces. That wouldn’t be appropriate. We want the students to have as positive an experience as possible.”
Ulliman said that before any final decisions are made, a committee will be formed of WSU students, faculty and staff to ensure all concerns are heard before signing any contracts in regard to parking.
Ulliman said that we may not see parking changes for a few years.
“I don’t expect anything from an execution standpoint I don’t see anything happening this fiscal year,” Ulliman said. “I would expect if we execute something it would be next fiscal year to be effective who knows when. Maybe in the middle of that year or not until the beginning of the following fiscal year.”
