At this time, it has not been determined who will use this lot. UF planners had intended for the lot to be used by students living in dormitories, however, the Presidential Task Force has recommended that it be used for commuter students. Bob Miller, assistant to UF's vice president of Administrative Affairs, said UF is expected to receive funds from the Student Capital Trust Fund this fall and construction will begin sometime during the 1996-97 school year. Once construction begins, it will not take long to complete the lot, Miller said. The funding was approved by the Board of Regents, the 14-member panel that oversees Florida's public universities.
Money is added to the student trust fund by taking a portion of each student's tuition.
This money then is used for capital improvements on the state's universities. UF has 17,300 parking spaces on campus for faculty, staff and students. According to the 10-year master plan, UF officials expect student enrollment to reach 45,000 by the year 2004. The master plan includes building about 2,700 new spaces, including some near Shands Hospital, Maruniak said. One of the tasks of the Presidential Task Force, which was created in December 1995, was to look at other ways to improve parking on campus.