Looking for a parking space may be a little more difficult for students this year, as a few changes have been made to parking availability on campus.

The changes made for this year needed to be made for a long time, said Laura Lundelius, acting coordinator of Parking Services. Changes include increasing the amount of yellow permit spaces for commuting students to an estimated 134 spaces around campus.

Twenty-five reserved yellow permit spaces were also created in lot 36 behind the library, making it the first time that commuting students can have a personally-reserved space in central campus.

In order to open up more yellow permit spaces, parking services had to cut down the amount of meter parking from central and east campus, removing 152 meter spots, said Lundelius. In addition to the decrease in meter parking, there has been an increase in meter fees, changing from 50 cents an hour to $1 an hour. Fines for meter parking have also increased from $5 to $10.

Lundelius said that having enough parking for commuters, safety concerns and congestion issues on campus were the main reasons for making changes.

At least one NIU student doesn’t think that removing the meters was a good idea.

“I don’t agree with the removal of parking meters because it is an inconvenience when you have to search for a spot or even risk parking illegally for 15 minutes to go see a teacher,” said Merieanne Cunanan, junior accounting major.

However, some students don’t mind the reduced number of metered spots.

“I’m glad that NIU is providing additional parking for commuting students,” said Carrie Bryl, a junior family social services major who commutes to campus. “The space is definitely needed.”

Another change in parking this year is that there will be no idling or stopping to drop off students near lot 20-C, located by the Chick Evans Field House, and near DuSable Hall. NIU officials hope the new rules will help keep buses moving on schedule.

“That was a big complaint from students that they don’t want to take the buses because they don’t run on time,” Lundelius said.

A new $10 fine was also implemented for orange and green permit holders, restricting them from parking from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday on campus east of Annie Glidden Road.

Lundelius said Campus Parking Services is trying to change the campus culture by having students rely less on cars to get around and more on other means of transportation.