If someone were to ask five random WIU students how they feel about parking, answers would be extremely varied. This is because the convenience, affordability, and availability of parking all depend on a student’s residence. On the bright side, passes are cheap; a Q Lot pass will cost $36, and most residence hall passes are $72. However, many students complain that Q Lot is only convenient for North Quad residents. Although a Q Lot pass is valid for Q, QE, and QS Lots, it is rare to find a spot in either the QE or QS Lot. The vast majority of students, with the exception of those living in North Quad, would say that buying a residence hall parking pass is worth the extra money. Unfortunately, the cops at Western love to ticket. It's risky to leave cars without permits unattended for any amount of time because the parking authority is so strict. In addition, residence halls can force students to move their cars during special events.
The Office of Public Safety (OPS) is harsh about parking enforcement, so precautions must be taken to avoid tickets. Often times, confusing stipulations regarding parking result in illegal parking and a ticket. An OPS officer is unlikely to care about the reason a student parked illegally, and will write them a ticket regardless. While Q Lot is the least convenient of all lots, it is also the cheapest and has the most available parking. Residence hall lots are more convenient, but passes are also more expensive and available parking is not gaurenteed.