Southern Utah University (SUU) will be charging parking fee for faculty and staff starting this fall, a first in its 30-year-history.

The parking fee is set to increase from $12 per year for students to $30 per year for students, faculty and staff in order to increase the revenue for the university.

"Faculty and staff haven't paid anything to park on campus for the last 30 years," Jerry Roeder, assistant vice president and dean of students, said. "When you go from paying nothing to paying $30, there is going to be some disappointment, but $30 is still a reasonable amount for someone to pay."

Roeder also said that the increasing maintenance costs for parking has resulted in budget shortfall, which has in turn prompted the university to hike the charges.

Also, SUU President Michael T. Benson said that the university is expecting a reduction in enrolments this fall, which has compelled the university to look out for other revenue generating options.

Benson said that he had paid almost $1,000 a year for a parking spot at other universities.

Laura McAneney, administrative assistant in the tuition office, said that her daughter has to pay $250 a semester at San Diego if she wants to park her vehicle on campus. In comparison, $30 is a very minimal amount.

The parking charges at other Utah universities are:

- Average fee for faculty and staff parking at the University of Utah is $217 a year.

- Dixie State University parking fee for students averages $20 a year.

- Students at Utah State University pay an average of $108.

Kimmi Davis, a senior psychology major from Cedar City, said that because of the recession and state budget cuts, most of the universities are raising tuition and fee almost every year, the least they can do is spare the parking fee.

Davis also said that there are not enough parking spaces around the campus. The university should allot more parking spaces instead of increasing the fee.

Benson, on the other hand, said that the university currently has excess parking spaces.

Roeder said that if the public is unhappy with the new fee structure, the university also has free parking, which in reality is not that convenient.