College Campus Archives - ParqEx

Why On-Campus Access Control Is The New Trend

Claudia Bechthold — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 16:59:00 +0000

Why On-Campus Access Control Is The New Trend

As a new school year is rapidly approaching, several colleges and universities are reassessing their security. They are responsible for all their faculty and staff and the thousands of students returning to their campuses. With these security issues in mind, a popular avenue to increase campus security is installing a keyless access control system.

With the ever-changing new technology available, universities and colleges note that traditional locks and even fobbed access points are no longer satisfactory for their security needs. With on-campus access control technologies in place, any door, elevator, and parking garage will be secured. Moreover, any dorm room, classroom, athletic facility, library, and common area will be locked. So, are you looking to keep your students and staff safe? Keep reading below!

On-Campus Access Control Heightens Security

Has your campus ever had to handle the nightmare of a lost or stolen master key? On average, how many lost key cards or fobs have you had to replace for your students? Have unauthorized individuals breezed through your current security systems in place? These scenarios are different security threats that will disappear with a keyless on-campus access control system, like ParqEx’s Access + technology.

First, with our technology installed on-site, say goodbye to master key drama! With Access +, campus security and management can determine who needs access to which facility at what time through the ParqEx management portal system. As easy as it is to grant access, it’s just as seamless to revoke access in case of any security issue or threat.

Second, campuses no longer have to worry about lost keys, key cards, and fobs with our technology installed on-site. Gone are the days of these antiquated systems! Instead of physical keys, students and staff will use their cell phones as their access control devices. As a result, people are entirely less likely to lose their phones compared to their keys. Consequently, that security threat is gone.

Third, code & fob sharing and door propping are no longer viable security threats. With Access + and automated locks, the door automatically opens and closes after every use. Additionally, security and management gain access to real-time data on who comes and goes from each access point, providing extra peace of mind.

Access Control Management

ParqEx’s access control system will integrate with any pre-existing system to fit all security needs for any college or university. With our management portal, campus security can manage their entire campus’s access points with a click of a few buttons. On the fly, you access your management portal via your desktop or your smartphone, and you will be able to give access to whoever needs it. Furthermore, you will see comprehensive reporting on who is coming and going from which door at what time, view real-time reporting on any violations that may occur, and 24/7 customer support from ParqEx if ever needed.

Decreased Security Costs

As previously hinted at, a high cost vanishes by ridding the use of keys, key cards, and fobs. Students are notorious for losing their keys! Back in my day, I had to get new key cards printed every semester as I always seemed to lose mine. Not only did that cost me $30 a pop, but it also racked up a bill for campus security!

With ParqEx’s access control system installed, the cost of replacing all lost keys is gone. So as you can imagine, people are way less likely to lose their cell phones, and if they do, they have more significant problems on their hands!

On-Campus Access Control In Use

The efficiency and effectiveness of ParqEx Access + have been proven on multiple campuses. A perfect example of access control heightening campus security is at a multi-student dormitory named Monarch in Buffalo, New York. The Monarch management and security team had multiple security issues arise before ParqEx. One of their most prominent concerns was that students’ codes and keys would be shared with other non-authorized students and users. Because of this, they knew fobs and codes were not a viable solution for their school. They also desperately wanted a way to monitor who was coming and going.

ParqEx helped simplify the entire process for students, staff, management, and security. Since installation, the Monarch building has seen several thousand secure entries and exits. Additionally, they have even experienced roughly 40% savings.

Want to learn more about how your campus, too, can increase security while decreasing costs? ParqEx’s Access + technology solution is not only super easy to install, but it’s scaleable. So, are you budget-oriented and going about securing one building at a time on your vast campus? That’s not an issue! We’ll gladly secure your campus one building at a time with you.

Book a demo with us today! We look forward to helping you increase your campus security this school year.

The post Why On-Campus Access Control Is The New Trend appeared first on ParqEx.

Examining Your Parking Options on College Campuses

Vivek Mehra — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 18:36:27 +0000

We’re moving toward the middle of the fall semester, which means that almost every college student has dealt with a crucial issue at least once. No, we’re not talking about midterms or a paper that just doesn’t want to get done. We’re talking about parking options on college campuses, which tends to be frustrating at best, and expensive at worst.

But do you know what options you really have when it comes to your monthly parking options? Or are you limiting yourself by following official university protocol? Here are some options, along with recommendations on how you can make the most of them.

1) Park on Campus

It seems like the most obvious solution, but it also tends to be the most frustrating. Parking on college campus, particularly in and around Chicago, can be difficult. Often, you have to get a permit, which can cost you hundreds of dollars. But even if it’s free, you’re limited to a select few lots that are often tediously far away from your dorm or classrooms.

Of course, especially as the weather turns, that can become a significant problem. Parking on campus is almost never easy, and there is not much you can do about it to improve it. Some campus do offer premium parking spaces in more convenient spots such as a garage, but you will have to pay for those.

2) Take Your Chances Without a Permit

Given the above challenges, students increasingly park on college campus without a permit. That tends to lead to two options: use limited visitor spots, or simply forego the permit to hope that campus security doesn’t catch up to you.

The first, naturally, comes with the exact challenges as parking with a campus. In fact, these challenges may be even worse: your selection will be even more limited, which can lead to increased frustration. But taking your chances while parking illegally is even more problematic. Naturally, we advise against it, not only because it’s illegal but also because campus security doesn’t tend to treat repeat parking offenders kindly.

3) Park Around the City

Especially in large metropoles like Chicago, parking options around the city can actually be more convenient and beneficial than on-campus options. Of course, you have to make sure that any spot you reserve (or meter you frequent) is close enough to campus to ensure a reasonable from classes to your car and back.

At the same time, this option also presents a number of challenges. For starters, you now compete not just with other college students, but working professionals in the city for the same spots. In addition, the most convenient options tend to either go quickly or be expensive.

4) Consider Peer to Peer Parking

Most college students consider the above three to be their only choices for parking around campus. But what if we told you that you actually have another option that can beat all of them? We’re talking about peer to peer parking, the process of contacting someone who owns a parking spot in your neighborhood directly to secure a convenient parking spot.

Consider it the AirBNB of parking: anyone who owns a parking spot can make it available on a free parking app, while you can find spots near a location convenient for you. Cutting out the commercial entity means increased flexibility, and significantly lower prices.

Are you interested in a parking option for your college campus that does not require significant expenses or inconvenient locations? If so, you should seriously look into peer to peer parking. An app like ours, for example, simplifies the process for both parking spot owners and drivers to allow you to easily find a spot that fits your needs. Contact us to learn more.

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College Campuses Could Benefit from Using Peer to Peer Parking Platforms

Claudia Bechthold — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 15:11:14 +0000

We all know that feeling of finding that sweet parking spot, but for many students at colleges and universities across the country, both students and faculty are not experiencing this pleasant emotion. While tuition and enrollment both continue to rise, parking facilities are not keeping up with the pace.

According to figures from the National Center For Education Statistics, in recent years, enrollment at secondary educational institutes has risen by 24%, from 16.6 million to 20.6 million. The number of full-time students rose to 28%, while the number of part-time students rose by 19%. While this is great for the education of our society as a whole, students and faculty are frustrated by a lack of adequate parking.

UIC Gets a C Minus in Parking

For those attending UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago), they’re logging in at the popular College Niche website and have given the parking situation on campus a C minus as an average grade. While this denotes a less than fair level when it comes to grading standards, it would not be a grade that I would want to see on my college kid’s report card. Some of the complaints listed by students were:

The price for parking in a semester is way too high

Free parking around UIC does not really exist

Get(s) annoying real quick because it’s always packed

Parking on campus is impossible

You need to plan ahead to make it to class on time

A student author contributor notes, “According to research, at any given time there are about seventeen thousand people on campus, but there are only about eleven thousand available parking spaces.”

Worst City For Parking

Since Chicago is such a big city, it should probably come as no big surprise to students that parking is a problem there. As a matter of fact, Nerd Wallet named the windy city the worst town for parking in all of the United States. They cited variables such as cost, problems with theft and pointing to a controversial privatization of parking.

Prices skyrocketed in 2009 after the City of Chicago made a deal with a group of investors, organized by Morgan Stanley, to operate its meters for 75 years. A group called Chicago Parking Meters LLC runs the gamut and the city also has an enormous laundry list of parking violations that they use to deliver expensive citations.

No Room and No Money For Additional Parking

One might imagine the simple solution would be to simply add more parking structures or build additional lots, but in most cases, there isn’t sufficient space or funds available. According to Parking Today, the cost to build just one parking spot is around $2,000. For a parking garage or other type of structure, the expense shoots up to somewhere between $13,000 and $15,000 per space.

The addition of more parking also means an increase in traffic, which means that the University would also be forced to perform a traffic analysis. Campus and neighboring streets may not be able to handle the additional wear and tear on their aging roadways and other surfaces.

Students Using Peer to Peer Parking

In today’s modern technological world, many are turning to apps like ParqEx – A Peer to Peer Parking. The concept is actually quite simple, after downloading the app to your smartphone or android device, parking spot owners can list their unused parking spots and renters can rent convenient and affordable parking.

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