East Tennessean

Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: News

Last spring, students were given a "grace period" of one week at the beginning of the semester, before tickets for parking violations were given. This semester, the grace period is gone.

Like most semesters, students received their parking decals in the mail before the semester began. This semester, with the accompanying decal came a pamphlet of parking and traffic regulations for the new semester.
This, along with a campuswide e-mail, informed students that the regulations were going to be enforced more harshly and thoroughly than semesters before.
Students on campus are becoming more aware of the enforcement of these regulations in the form of little yellow envelopes awaiting them after class on their windshields. The citations have been seen resting on the front of cars throughout parking lots.
"I think that the parking has gotten stricter this semester," said Francis Borgers, a senior biology and anthropology major. "I've seen a lot of people with tickets in the carpool area. They have been pulling in without other people in the car and without carpool tags. I think that people have been counting on the leniency that they had last semester."
She, like others, plans to appeal her ticket to the parking board that consists of staff, faculty and students.
"I got a ticket in carpool parking," Borges said. "I have a carpool paper in my windshield where it is completely visible, so I am not quite sure why I got the ticket. I am going to appeal it."
The new director of parking, Calvin Cooper, assumed his position the first day of class. "We are working on changing our image," said Cooper. "We have a job to do, but we don't have to be rude. Our patrol is working on enforcing the regulations thoroughly while being friendly, courteous and polite and with professionalism."
The board of appeals is available for all students if they feel they have unjustly received a citation. "We have a fair parking appeal," said Cooper. "Our officers are not members of the appeal board. If a student chooses they can either send in a written appeal or appear before the board."
Parking on campus can get confusing, especially when students are in a rush to get to class on time, but Cooper is working on minimizing some of the confusion.

Continued...

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