Many University of Memphis students and faculty struggle to find parking spaces in the general lots scattered across campus, causing some to pay for priority passes allowing them access to privileged and often convenient spaces.
But, for the past two weeks, the gate arms at the Deloach parking garage have remained open, allowing anyone to park in available spaces, according to some students and professors.
Nichole Lee, graphic design sophomore, said she pays $95 a semester in order to park in the garage.
"Now everyone is parking in there and taking up all our spots," she said. "Normally I am able to park on the first floor near the Art and Communications building, but for at least a week or two the gates have been open. There has been no first floor parking."
Lee also said that no one from parking services has informed her when the gate would be fixed.
Charles Bailey, accounting professor, said he paid $60 this semester to use the garage. He noticed that it has become more difficult to find a space in Deloach over the past week.
"I guess people have gotten wise to (the gates being open)," Bailey said. "But I am not resentful about it. I had to drive twice around the lot today-that is all."
Outside of buying a semester pass, students normally pay $2 an hour or $12 a day to park in the Deloach garage.
According to Elaine Calhoun, customer service representative at Parking and Transportation Services, the gates are malfunctioning due to a broken part.
"There is a part already on order," she said. "We are working on fixing them, but the gates will remain open until they do."
Parking service assistances usually do not write many tickets for people parked in garages, one employee said.
"Typically, we only go into the garage if we are asked," the employee said. "We mostly give tickets for people who are parked out of the lines, but otherwise we more or less stay out."
