As of January 10, Eastern has 4,745 parking spots on campus. Although the campus has been constantly under construction, parking places have actually increased, said Mark Bates, graduate assistant for the university union.

Since May 2000, 328 parking spaces have been lost. But 576 spaces have been added, Bates said, give or take a few spots for the most recent construction on Lantz Arena.

A committee was formed last year to address issues relating to parking. The committee includes Bates, University Police Chief Adam Due, and Dan Nadler, vice president for student affairs and committee chair.

Eastern also offers low parking rates in Illinois, Bates said. Parking rates are equal or lower than prices at Western Illinois University, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois State University (for upperclassmen and staff only), University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Bradley University, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (upperclassmen and student only) and Northern Illinois University (staff only).

For staff, faculty and upperclassman or students 21 or over, permits cost $25 each semester, or $50 for the year.

Permits for underclassmen cost $75 per semester, or $150 for year parking. Underclassmen should note the areas that are for upperclassmen-parking only.

Visitors can purchase a parking pass for the day for $1.50 per day, available at the University Police Department on Seventh Street across from the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

University Police officer Art Mitchell recommends that students walk to class. Off-campus students have to drive from Mattoon, Robinson and Effingham to class, and spots should be saved for them, he said.

The stadium parking lot must be cleared by noon on Fridays for a driver-training class. Cars that aren’t moved will be towed, and a citation will be issued, he said.

Drivers may park in any student parking lot, which excludes staff spots, on Fridays only.

Underclassmen must have their vehicles moved back to an underclassmen parking spot by Monday morning at 7.

Parking passes are still available for this semester or year.

For more information, call the University Police:

Parking division: 581-5416

Police Department: 581-3213

Non-Emergency Dispatch: 581-3212

Or visit www.eiu.edu/~police/park.html.