The Board of Trustees has proposed increasing the fee for student parking on campus to help offset the budget shortfall.

If approved, the increase will raise the price of a day and evening parking permit to from $30 to $35 if purchased at the cashier, or $33.50 if purchased online. The reduced rate online is meant to minimize lines at the cashier in the Student Services Building, said Joe Sullivan, vice president of business services.

The Student Senate is supporting the fee hike, said student trustee Sean Knotts and President Camila Avendano.

“It is certainly my position that the $33.50 isn’t too much of a big increase, especially for how much it could potentially cut,” Knotts said.

Avendano explained that it is more cost effective to have students buy their permits online than to pay employees to sell them on campus.

The senate has done some tabling on campus to ask students how they feel about the increase. Knotts and Avendano said that the student response has been positive. “The students do not see the issue as a serious problem,” Knotts added.

“It’s a small price that we have to pay for parking,” said Rayna Halby, a 21-year-old psychology major.

“Parking is what it is, and it’s unfortunate,” Knotts said. “I would just encourage students to take the bus more.”

-Kenny Lindberg contributed to this report.