EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The University of Texas at El Paso is changing how students purchase parking permits for the upcoming school year.
According to UTEP on Wednesday, instead of opening sales to all students at once, the university will now release permits in phases based on student classification.
The new schedule is set to begin on August 12 with graduate, doctoral, and professional students. Seniors can purchase permits on August 13, followed by juniors on August 18, sophomores on August 19, and freshmen on August 20. General sales will open August 21.
Students who miss their assigned purchase date will have to wait until general sales begin on August 21 to buy a permit.
UTEP says the phased approach is intended to reduce website traffic, improve system reliability, and create a smoother online purchasing process.
Permit prices will remain the same as last year.
The new system has received mixed reactions from students on campus.
Destiny Venecia reports on UTEP introduces new parking permit rollout ahead of fall semester (Credit: KFOX14)
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Some students say the change could make the process more difficult, especially for those who miss their assigned sales date.
“I think it makes it a little more complex than it was,” senior Aziel Ramos said.
Another student said they are concerned the new process could create challenges for students, especially freshmen who are still learning how parking works on campus.
Others believe the new system could help prioritize students who have been at UTEP longer.
One senior said giving priority to upperclassmen is a fair approach because they have more experience navigating campus parking.
While the permit sales process is changing, students say their biggest concern remains finding a parking space after they purchase a permit.
Many students report arriving early, circling lots for several minutes, or parking farther away from their classes to find an unavailable spot.
According to UTEP enrollment and parking data from 2024, the university had 25,039 students enrolled and 11,302 parking permits available across campus.
Students who spoke with KFOX14/CBS4 question whether the number of available permits matches the demand for parking spaces.
Some say having a permit does not always guarantee a convenient parking spot.
“With the parking pass, sometimes it guarantees you parking, and sometimes it doesn’t,” one senior student said.
Another student said the challenge is that students still have to search for spaces, even after buying a permit, with some classes located a mile or more away from available parking areas.
The university says the new phased sales process is designed to improve the permit purchasing experience, while students continue to call for solutions to parking availability on campus.
The phased parking permit sales begin August 12.
Students can find the full schedule and purchase permits through UTEP’s parking services website here.
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