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Each year we create 5 event links for parking permits for Orientation. There is one link for each of the 4 weeks of Orientation and an extra link. Each link is for the same permit which is valid for the entire Orientation period. This means that if someone signs up for a week 1 Orientation session and then changes their mind and comes to week 2 or 3, their permit is still valid. This is necessary because the Flex software will only allow 999 people to sign up for one event. So we cannot have all 4,000 orientation guests sign up for the "Orientation parking permit". so we need to break up the Orientation event into smaller chunks -- which is one week permits.
We save the event links to an excel spreadsheet in "PRK > PRK > work > Temp Junk > z Crap" called (Orientation permit links May-June 2026)
Orientation parking permits are "Admission lot" permits so they allow parking in the Admission lots at Shriver and MacMillan, red permit areas throughout campus and they also cover parking at meters.
We also put the North Garage into auto-open (make it free) during orientation (which is basically all of June) and the Orientation website directs people to park in the North Garage for free. We do not want to use barcodes because they rarely work -- either because of technology or because they are misunderstood -- so they lead to long lines, many intercom calls and frustrated guests. Which is a bad look for the University.