After a busy month at the Student Health Services Center, with long lines and a crowded parking lot, the parking system is changing in order to try to meet student needs.

Perry Gordon, director of parking and transportation services at Miami University, said the idea for parking validation at the health center stemmed from a question posed by an Associated Student Government (ASG) senator during Gordon's presentation to the organization a few weeks ago.

Gordon said the health center, as of Feb. 4, would punch a pass from the Campus Avenue parking garage for students getting treatment. The pass will allow students free parking for 90 minutes.

He said the idea is based off of the parking validation process for visitors reporting to the admission office for a tour or daylong events.

Tammy Gustin, acting director of clinical services at the health center, believes the parking validation is a beneficial idea.

"I think we're real pleased with it because we realize our students have had some trouble parking and when they're sick they may not feel like walking," Gustin said.

Student Health Services was notified of the validation system last week at a staff meeting, according to Gustin.

"Things progressed very quickly and we have the validation stamp now so people can start using it now," Gustin said.

According to Carla Lunsford, medical records clerk at Student Health Services, students had been complaining about trying to find parking near the health center.

"Students have always complained about not being able to park in our parking lot, this should help that," Lunsford said.

Although no student has used this service of yet, according to Lunsford, Gordon said he thinks it will be successful.

Gordon gave three reasons he felt this initiative would be a success: It provides ample parking for students that need to go to the health center, it frees up staff spaces where students illegally park and it helps students get the assistance they need at the health center so they can focus on academics.

"People are overlooking the obvious that (the Campus Avenue garage) is there if you need to go to the health center," Gordon said. "That's why we're so optimistic about it."

Gordon also said he believes this initiative will become more popular in the long term.

"If you look at the Campus Avenue garage as a model, we've got two times as many cars going in now compared to last year at this time," Gordon said. "It takes people a while to figure out that this is a useful service."

He said it might take all semester to find out if it works, but since it doesn't hurt the university, the service will likely stay in place.

In order to inform students about the change, Gordon sent an e-mail to the assistant vice president of student health services with a flyer attached, which he said could be posted or handed out to students. He also informed University Communications in hopes that a message might be sent out to students to make them aware of the service.

Students who have heard of the parking validation think it is a great idea.

"I think it's great for people that live off campus," junior Alicia Frandsen said. "It is making use of the building when it wasn't really in use before."

Sophomore Joey Holmes agrees.

"One of my friends did not go to the health center because he did not want to have to walk there," Holmes said. "To encourage students to use the health center, it is a good thing because students shouldn't have to pay for parking when visiting a doctor."