2008 Woodie Awards
Parking Tickets: Drivers Beware
Campus Safety Cracks Down on Parking Violations
Megan Borkes
Issue date: 9/25/06 Section: News
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College is a tough place, money-wise. Weekly expenses could include laundry, food, books, phone bills, food, and any other kind of expenses for entertainment one may care to enjoy.
So, why would a student want to shell out another 20, 40, or even 100 dollars for a parking citation? The answer is simple, according to Campus Security: Students don't read or understand the parking laws here at Rollins.
"Everything is online, and we even have pamphlets that we can give you on the parking laws. It's just that no one takes the time to read the website," says Kenneth Miller, director of Campus Security.
It's true. Everything anyone would want to know about parking and parking citations and their consequences is all on the Rollins website. For instance, a minor citation such as parking in a space over the allotted time will cost you $20.
Most often, according to Campus Security, tickets are shelled out for freshmen and sophomores who park on campus, or students who park in faculty or staff spaces. Those missteps are going to cost the student $40 right off the bat. It's all right there for everyone to read, but Campus Security is still giving out an estimated 200 to 250 tickets per week.
Is this simply because students don't agree with the laws and feel that maybe they won't be enforced? Or is it because there is an active appeals committee (made up of students, no less!) that students can take advantage of?
Miller explains that "Most students think we'll be more lenient at the beginning of the year with appeals, but once they understand the process, they end up just paying the ticket off instead of going for an appeal. By the end of the year, the number of appeals has gone down to about 20 percent." He says that at the beginning of the year, students apply for appeals on about half of the tickets that are issued.
Appeals may not be granted often, but Campus Security does try to at least modify tickets if a student takes the time to go in for an appeal. "For instance," Miller said, "a student got two parking tickets for not having a decal, and then got a boot on their car. That added up to a good $130. The student came in for an appeal and we sat down, and ended up taking off the price of the boot and the first ticket as long as they paid to get a parking decal for their car."
So, why would a student want to shell out another 20, 40, or even 100 dollars for a parking citation? The answer is simple, according to Campus Security: Students don't read or understand the parking laws here at Rollins.
"Everything is online, and we even have pamphlets that we can give you on the parking laws. It's just that no one takes the time to read the website," says Kenneth Miller, director of Campus Security.
It's true. Everything anyone would want to know about parking and parking citations and their consequences is all on the Rollins website. For instance, a minor citation such as parking in a space over the allotted time will cost you $20.
Most often, according to Campus Security, tickets are shelled out for freshmen and sophomores who park on campus, or students who park in faculty or staff spaces. Those missteps are going to cost the student $40 right off the bat. It's all right there for everyone to read, but Campus Security is still giving out an estimated 200 to 250 tickets per week.
Is this simply because students don't agree with the laws and feel that maybe they won't be enforced? Or is it because there is an active appeals committee (made up of students, no less!) that students can take advantage of?
Miller explains that "Most students think we'll be more lenient at the beginning of the year with appeals, but once they understand the process, they end up just paying the ticket off instead of going for an appeal. By the end of the year, the number of appeals has gone down to about 20 percent." He says that at the beginning of the year, students apply for appeals on about half of the tickets that are issued.
Appeals may not be granted often, but Campus Security does try to at least modify tickets if a student takes the time to go in for an appeal. "For instance," Miller said, "a student got two parking tickets for not having a decal, and then got a boot on their car. That added up to a good $130. The student came in for an appeal and we sat down, and ended up taking off the price of the boot and the first ticket as long as they paid to get a parking decal for their car."
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