This fall, Parking Services no longer will allow students a grace period to avoid receiving parking fines.

In the past, students were granted about a two-week period to familiarize themselves with the parking system, but that will not be the case when classes start, as students will receive tickets right away.

“If we allow students the grace period, it gets abused by those who know the system,” said Laura Lundelius, assistant coordinator of parking. “Now there will be no confusion from the start as to how the parking system works.”

Orange and green permit holders will not be able to stop, stand or idle in lot M6, next to the Chick Evans Field House, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Violators will be subject to a $10 ticket under a new fine called Resident Restricted Zone.

“There will be an increase in patrol for that area,” said Ron Pearson, Parking Services parking and traffic coordinator.

About 13 faculty handicapped parking spots will be moved to lot M6 from in front of DuSable Hall once construction begins in the bus turnaround area.

More commuter student parking spots have been allocated for lots A-1 and A, near Barsema Hall. The brown spots were moved to lot V.

Lot K, on West Lincoln Highway, will become an all-orange permit lot. Lot D-1, behind the proposed NIU Alumni and Visitors Center, will be called lot L and become a yellow commuter lot.

About 170 parking meters will be removed from lots throughout central campus, including spots behind the Campus Life Building. Some meters still will exist for Student Association and Northern Star parking, but the rest will be turned into blue permit parking. Fees for meters will increase from 50 cents per hour to $1 per hour.

Parking spots behind the library, currently coded blue, will become yellow and orange student-reserve permits. Students can put their name on a waiting list starting July 12. The spots will cost $160 per semester or $300 a year.

“It will be very popular for anyone who spends a great deal of time in the central campus,” Pearson said.

A new color-coded information sheet that explains the rules and regulations of the permit will be sent out with the permits. Students also will receive letters about the parking changes in the mail this summer.

Students will be able to reserve parking permits online starting July 15. A convenience fee of $3 will be charged.

“The site is currently under construction,” Lundelius said.

As of the end of March, revenue from Parking Services was at $533,943. Last year at the end of March, $650,088 was taken in.

“We think this revenue loss is because we are getting more voluntary compliance,” Pearson said. “The objective is to gain compliance, not necessarily make money.”

Other parking fines will remain the same for the fall.