Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

AVI at URI

  • 03/01/15

The Parking and Transportation Department at the University of Rhode Island provides information on its website on an Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) system, which grants access to gated Faculty and Staff parking lots. The website indicates that it is a tag similar to an EZ Pass, placed on a vehicle windshield, that allows access to gated lots without swiping an ID. Automatic Vehicle Identification Radio Frequency (RF) technology (AVI) is used at gated Faculty and Staff parking locations across the URI campus to automatically open entry gates.

AVI is used by URI instead of card access systems because card access systems alone can be slow and inconvenient to use. The AVI system is extremely fast, authenticating access in fractions of a second. AVI devices are 3.5-inches long by 2.5-inches wide — approximately the size of a credit card — and must be secured to vehicle front windshields. URI indicates the following benefits result from the use of the AVI system:

  • It operates successfully in all campus gated Faculty and Staff parking lots.
  • It saves the time and eliminates the frustration of fumbling for forgotten or misplaced ID cards.
  • It controls access to an area, encouraging only legal parking in the area.
  • The devices can be disabled easily if stolen.
  • AVI devices can be programmed for any time period of use and do not require batteries.
  • AVI holders can continue to use the device as long as they are affiliated with the university, and the AVI can be turned off when no longer in use.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.

  • UT System Approves First Funds for New Campus

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved funds to build the first facility of a new campus in far west Fort Worth, Texas, according to university news. UTA West will serve as a branch of the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to open in fall 2028.