The Department of Public Safety is entrusted with the responsibility of controlling parking and traffic on campus. The goal of the Parking and Traffic Control Policy is to maintain orderly procedures which address the personal needs of individuals in the community while providing for their safety and protecting the aesthetics of the campus.

The elements of the policy are quite simple:

• All vehicles will be registered and assigned to a parking location according to their daily need.
• Since there is not a need for resident students to drive to class, they are assigned to one of the two student lots located at the north or south end of campus.
• Commuter students are assigned to the student/faculty lot near the apartments, lot 8 or, either student lot - 7 or 10.
• Spaces are reserved for handicapped and visitors in appropriate locations throughout campus.
• Fire zones, identified by red curbs and/or signs, are designated reserved areas for emergency vehicles.

The success of the policy depends greatly on the cooperation of the community members. Enforcement procedures are in place to supplement this cooperation.

Safety is the primary focus of our traffic control measures. Individuals driving in an unsafe manner will be cited according to the guidelines of this policy. An unattended vehicle, which is hindering traffic flow or creating a hazardous situation, will be cited and possibly towed from that location.

• Parking regulations are in effect at all times, including semester breaks, holidays, and summer break.
• Responsibility for parking violations rest with the owner or primary driver of the vehicle.
• Visitors and overnight guests must register their vehicle with Public Safety. There is no charge for this registration.

Temporary permits are available at Public Safety for the convenience of those who plan on keeping a vehicle on campus for a short period of time. Cost is $5 per week.

Parking permits are not transferable. If a new vehicle or license plate is obtained, contact Public Safety to update the registration.

Parking citations will be issued for the following violations:

• Unregistered vehicles
• Vehicles parked in a reserved lot. This includes parking in an unassigned lot Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the Main Campus, and from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on East Campus.
• Parking on the street, grass or other non-designated parking area.
• Parking in a fire zone, handicapped, visitor, or other reserved space.
• Exceeding 15 miles per hour on campus roads or other acts of unsafe driving.

Should your vehicle become inoperative in a lot not assigned to you, please call Public Safety at ext. 4230 and an officer will respond to assist you. If the vehicle remains inoperative, the officer will verify its condition, and authorize a temporary permit or time extension.

Occasionally, it is necessary to park close to a residence hall for a short period of time while loading or unloading a vehicle. To avoid receiving a citation, call Public Safety at ext. 4230 with an estimate of how long your vehicle will be in the unauthorized area. Be sure to turn on the four-way flashers.

Implementation:

• Parking enforcement for students is an escalating process. A citation is issued for a parking or safety violation and a fine levied.
• Parking enforcement for employees begins with a citation for a parking or safety violation and a fine levied. If non-compliance with parking and traffic policies continues, an information letter will be sent to the employee’s department head and copied to Human Resources.
• Student’s who accumulate ten or more parking citations within an academic school year will be placed in restricted parking, and their vehicle will be subject to tow if they violate this restriction.
• Employee’s who accumulate ten or more citations within a fiscal year will be placed in restricted parking, and their vehicle will be subject to tow if they violate this restriction.

Collection Procedures:

Fines for a parking citation are payable at Accounting and Financial Affairs, between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday thru Friday.

Student

• Moving violations / parking citations issued to a student are forwarded to the Finance Office for billing once the appeals process has expired.
• A student’s account is then billed.
• A student cannot register for the next semester unless all outstanding bills are paid.

Employee

• Moving violations / parking citations issued to an employee are forward to the Finance Office for billing once the appeals process has expired.
• An employee driving a university vehicle is personally responsible for the paying any citations received while driving that vehicle.
• An employee is then billed for the citation.
• At the end of a semester, the Finance Office will notify Public Safety of any outstanding citations owed by an employee.
• Public Safety will send a courtesy letter to the employee and his/her VP, alerting them of the amount due and loss of parking privileges if the bill is not paid within thirty days.
• Bills not paid will result in the employee’s car being towed if found on campus.

Vehicles may be towed off campus, at the owner’s expense, for the following violations:

• parking in a fire lane/handicapped
• parking illegally causing a safety hazard
• interfering with snow removal
• parking illegally in a tow away parking lot
• three (3) or more parking citations and vehicles unregistered on campus
• the issuance of ten or more parking citations

Private tow companies are utilized by Public Safety. The owner of the vehicle will need to call Public Safety to obtain the address of the company used. Neither the University nor Public Safety receives any payment for the towing.

Appeals Process:

Citations must be appealed on line at: /studentsandstaff/publicsafety/parking_appeals_form.htm

Notification of the appeal ruling will be returned by e-mail within five business days.