President Bill Perry wants people to have ample room for parking.

And with the Doudna Fine Arts Center scheduled to open in the fall, the availability of parking could become an issue.

“We need to have a rational way to show people where to park and have space for them to park very close to the building,” Perry said.

Because of this, Perry asked the Council on University Planning and Budget to start a parking committee that would address Eastern’s parking needs.

The committee started meeting in the beginning of March and posted a survey on Eastern’s Web site on April 15, asking for students’ input on the issue of parking.

“I’m not going to even begin to guess what kind of response we are going to get,” said CUPB Chair Pat Fewell.

The deadline for the survey is April 25.

Fewell said the parking committee, which works with CUPB, has not put together any formal recommendations yet, but added the survey will help move along that process.

In a memo earlier this semester, Perry outlined a few areas he would like the committee to address.

Among them were the location and operation of visitor parking lots, the advisability of the use of parking garages or other structures and their financing from parking fee revenues, and the structure of parking fees for parking privileges on campus.

Perry also stated in the memo he would like CUPB and the committee to submit recommendations by the end of May.

“I’m not sure if we are going to get it done by May, but we’ll do our best,” Fewell said.

Perry said there is some leeway on the deadline, and added the administration would look at the recommendations in the summer. The discussion then would broaden to campus constituents in the fall, he said.

He added the parking committee’s proposal does not have to be finalized before the start of the fall semester.

As far as wanting more parking, Perry said that would need more analysis.

He said those plans might move forward after the survey results are in and additional research is gathered. Research that would analyze how many cars will be on campus with the opening of Doudna, which is expected to attract more off-campus visitors.

“We’ll just have to see how that goes,” Perry said.

He said if the committee’s plans are not finalized by the fall, the university will think of a temporary solution for parking when events in Doudna begin.

The committee is comprised of faculty and students, and Charleston’s assistant city planner, Steve Pamperin.

Fewell said the committee will discuss the recommendations with CUPB, but Perry and the President’s Council have the final approval on the recommendations.

“We’re trying to figure out how we make parking available for people that come to campus that aren’t normally on campus,” Fewell said.

Perry said he realized parking was an issue when he met with a variety of constituents last fall.

He added the survey allows for everyone to have input on parking on campus.

“Everyone can bring forward their ideas, concerns and suggestions,” Perry said. “We’ll take them under consideration.”

Students can take the parking survey by clicking here.

Stephen Di Benedetto can be reached at 581-7942 or at sdibenedetto@eiu.edu.