In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, Monash University has raised the price of parking in “peak periods”, which include the first four weeks of each semester and during graduation.
Management motivated the change as a way for staff and students to travel more “sustainably”.
But this is being questioned by National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) and the Monash Student Association.
They are circulating an open letter calling on the Vice Chancellor to immediately reduce parking fees to 2021 levels and stop the price gouging. As the letter says, management offered staff a 3% pay rise this year, but parking fees are rising by as much as 106%.
More than 2200 staff and students have signed on, with the comments explaining why. Many said they cannot take public transport, or walk or cycle to campus, and are forced to drive.
As the letter states lower-income staff, such as librarians, lab technicians and service desk staff, are expected to be physically present on campus five days a week and the monthly parking fee of $200 represents a significant financial hardship.
Students are also disproportionately affected, the letter states as the parking fee rises add to the “already considerable costs of education”.
This is also a class issue as the people most impacted are staff and students who live the furthest away from campus and the city. The decision also unjustly impacts women and people who feel unsafe catching public transport after dark.
Parking at Monash campuses also requires you to use a particular app, which if it does not register, or if the person forgets to start it, they are handed a fine of between $99 and $198.
Just how much revenue Monash University will generate from its new parking rules remains to be seen, but it is unlikely to have any impact on sustainable transport usage.