Parking_and_Traffic

Tennessee Technological University

Faculty Handbook

Parking and Traffic Regulations

University Police web site: http://www.tntech.edu/police/general_regulations.html NOTE: Information on the University Police web site may be more current than the following information.

General Information
A.	These regulations were established through the cooperative endeavors of the Student Government Association Committee on Traffic and the administration of the University.
B.	The University reserves the right to regulate the use of motor vehicles on campus and to forbid the use of a motor vehicle by any person whose conduct in any way indicates that he or she is not complying with the regulations. The observance of these rules and regulations is indicative of good citizenship on the part of the student or employee of the University. In addition, all federal, state and local laws governing the operation of a motor vehicle must be observed.
C.	The University assumes no financial responsibility for theft or damage to motor vehicles or their contents when the vehicles are parked or operated on campus or elsewhere.
D.	The registrant of a motor vehicle shall be held responsible for all parking citations issued against the vehicle. Moving violations will be charged to the operator of the vehicle.
E.	The use of loud mufflers or other unusual noise-making devices on a motor vehicle is not permitted on campus.
F.	Stop signs, signals, crosswalks and other regulator devices will be observed at all times. Pedestrians shall have the right of way on the campus at all designated crosswalks and campus street intersections.
G.	A citation for a traffic violation should not be discussed with the police officer as he has no authority to settle the matter once a ticket has been issued. Such matters should be taken directly to the Tennessee Tech Police Department.
H.	A student's possession and use of a motor vehicle on the campus is a privilege which may be revoked for reasons designated by University officials. Such reasons may include:
	1.	Possession or use of alcoholic beverages or drugs while operating a vehicle.
	2.	Irresponsible operation of a vehicle.
	3.	Leaving the scene of an accident.
	4.	Failure to report an accident involving personal injury or property damage.
	5.	Excessive violations of regulations.
	6.	Falsifying vehicle registration or gaining such registration under false pretense.
Registration of Motor Vehicles
A.	Campus registration of motor vehicles for faculty, staff and all students -- full-time, part-time, and night -- is required for the Fall Semester and must be maintained throughout the year. Vehicles must be registered during the week of general academic registration as listed in the catalog or immediately after the vehicle is brought to the campus. Registration is required to operate a vehicle on campus any time of day or night, including weekends. Faculty and staff will have a choice of stick-on or hang-tag permits. These regulations are also applicable to persons with disabled registration status. Disabled registration may only be used by the person it has been issued to. Disabled registration can only be obtained through the County Clerk’s Office.
B.	The motor vehicle registration stick-on permit must be obtained and affixed permanently (cannot be taped) to the left rear bumper or the left rear glass of the vehicle. Hang-tag permits must be hung on the stem of the rear view mirror. Those permits not affixed properly will be regarded as void; the owner of the vehicle will be cited for failure to display a permit.
C.	ALL FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS operating a vehicle on campus on a temporary basis, as a substitute for a permanently registered vehicle, may be issued a temporary permit upon application to the Tennessee Tech Police Department. Students who bring their vehicles on campus only during the last week of the semester need not permanently register their vehicles, but must secure a temporary permit for that week. Temporary permits issued to those who do not have a permanent registration will be limited to one week. Others will be issued for two weeks.
D.	Motorcycles will be registered as motor vehicles and the special stick-on permit will be affixed to a prominent place on the vehicle. Mopeds need not be registered.
E.	ALL EMPLOYEES (FACULTY AND STAFF) should register vehicles preceding Fall registration or immediately after arriving on campus. Vehicle registration must be completed by the end of the first week of Fall Semester.
F.	FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS are issued color-coded decals indicating their proper parking area. Faculty and staff are not authorized to furnish parking permits to students except students who are spouses of the faculty or staff member. Also, permits will not be provided by the registrant to other faculty and staff members.
G.	The vehicle registration fee, per permit, for Administrative Staff and Faculty will be $30 for Fall Semester, $20 for Spring Semester, and $10 for Summer Semester. The vehicle registration fee, per permit, for Clerical and Support Staff will be $10 for Fall Semester, $7 for Spring Semester, and $5 for Summer Semester. The charge for replacement of lost or stolen hang tags for Administrative Staff, Faculty, and Clerical and Support Staff will be $10 for Fall Semester, $7 for Spring Semester, and $5 for Summer Semester. The initial student permit is included in the General Access Fee. Each additional permit will be $30 for Fall Semester, $20 for Spring Semester, and $10 for Summer Semester. The charge for replacement of a lost or stolen hang tag will be $10 for Fall Semester, $7 for Spring Semester, and $5 for Summer Semester. PERMITS WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE ONLY WHEN THE NUMBERS ARE RETURNED INTACT TO THE TENNESSEE TECH POLICE DEPARTMENT.
H.	No individual is allowed to give, loan, furnish or sell a parking permit to another individual. Each student must purchase his or her own permit to retain the privilege of driving a vehicle on campus. Faculty and staff are not permitted to give, loan, furnish or sell a parking permit to anyone other than his or her spouse.
I.	Non-students attending Tennessee Tech, such as Nashville Tech, EMT’s and Paramedics, will be charged $30 in the Fall Semester, $20 in the Spring Semester, and $10 for Summer Semester
Parking Regulations
A.	The University parking lots are divided into six (6) different areas. These areas have been established to provide convenience to the maximum number of University members and to keep intra-campus traffic to a minimum.
B.	Parking areas are marked by color-coded signs that match the color-coded permits indicating areas in which the particular vehicle may be parked. Vehicles parked outside these areas will be cited for illegal parking.
C.	Parking restrictions in the color-coded areas are effective from 7:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except when school is officially out of session. (School is officially in session the first day of registration and officially out the day of commencement.) Tech Village parking restrictions are enforced on a 24-hour-a-day basis. Visitors may park in the area of the Tech Village Community Center.
D.	Parking spaces marked for the PRESIDENT, HEAD RESIDENT, CAMPUS POLICE, AND DISABLED are reserved on a 24-hour basis each week. Visitor and 30-minute parking spaces are effective from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day that University offices are officially open, except east dorms where 60-minute parking is in effect daily from 7:30 a.m. until midnight.
E.	At no time are motor vehicles to be parked where curbs, sidewalks, or crosswalks are marked by yellow painting. Likewise, vehicles are to be parked within marked stalls and are not to protrude into another stall or marked space. Vehicles are not permitted to back into parking spaces.
F.	Disabled vehicles will not be allowed to remain on the campus beyond a reasonable time and will be removed by campus police at the owner's expense, not to exceed 30 days.
G.	Although meters no longer accept change, this area is considered 36-minute parking. Vehicles parked longer than 36 minutes at metered parking will be charged overtime. Metered parking is enforced from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except when school is officially out. Unregistered vehicles are not permitted to park at meters. It shall not be permitted for the owner or operator of a vehicle to park or allow his or her vehicle to be parked in a parking space regulated by a meter or more than the maximum period of time, 36 minutes.
H.	Motorcycles must park in a regular marked parking space or in spaces marked for motorcycles. They must be parked in assigned lots.
I.	Trailers, boats and similar vehicles will not be parked anywhere on campus without specific approval of the Director of the Tennessee Tech Police Department, in such spaces that may be designated.
J.	Any vehicle bearing a valid Tennessee Tech parking permit may park in the “Open Parking” lots located at various locations on campus.
K.	Vehicles will be removed from campus streets, parking lots, or other areas when parked in violation of these regulations or left in such away as to create a safety hazard to persons or property. Vehicles which cannot be identified may be restrained by a wheel lock or towed away. The cost of removal will be paid by the registrant or owner.
L.	Vehicles blocking dumpsters, fire lanes, wheelchair ramps, sidewalks or parked in driveways in such a manner that would obstruct the traffic flow or block a parked vehicle will be cited for illegal parking or removed.
M.	VISITORS' parking spaces are reserved for persons visiting the campus on official business; therefore, vehicles bearing University permits or operated by FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS of the University are not permitted in these spaces between 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Faculty, staff and students are not considered visitors at any time.
N.	STUDENTS, FACULTY OR STAFF who have serious physical disabilities may request a special permit from the Infirmary in order to park as near their classrooms or work area as possible. Persons with disabled registration may park in visitor or 30-minute spaces and faculty, staff and student lots.
O.	All vehicles bearing west dorm parking permits must park in the designated parking lots. This includes head residents of west dorms.
P.	Vehicles bearing commuter permits will park only in the commuter parking lots. All students living in Tech Village must display a valid parking permit on their vehicle. The parking permit will be orange in color. When parking on the Tennessee Tech campus, Tech Village residents are allowed to park in the commuter and open parking lots.
Q.	All vehicles bearing east dorm parking permits must park in the parking lot on the east side of the east dormitories or in the designated parking lot. This includes head residents of east dorms.
R.	Each visitor operating a vehicle on campus must abide by all rules and regulations even though the person is not a student or employee.
S.	In case of flagrant or repeated parking violations resulting in the removal of a vehicle from the campus, the owner or registrant shall pay the removal costs.
Traffic Regulations
A.	The speed limit on campus is 15 miles per hour, except where otherwise posted. Speeding or improperly operating a vehicle (squealing tires, sliding the vehicle, etc.) are serious safety hazards, and persons responsible will be cited for the specific violations.
B.	Speeding and/or reckless driving on the campus is a violation of safety standards. Violators will be disciplined and/or prosecuted.
C.	Passing another vehicle which is moving at normal speed on campus streets or drives is prohibited.
D.	All vehicles must come to a complete stop at intersections where stop signs are located, painted on the street, or mounted on a post.
E.	Motorists must yield right of way to pedestrians.
F.	Vehicles must pull over, come to a complete stop, and yield right of way to all emergency vehicles with flashing lights.
Motor Vehicle Violations and Penalties
Violations of the motor vehicle regulations will subject the REGISTRANT, OWNER, or VIOLATOR to a penalty and/or disciplinary action. The following examples indicate the types of violations that will be penalized but are not considered "all inclusive."
	1.	Registration--Vehicles not registered, permit not properly affixed, unauthorized possession of registration decal, falsification of information.
	2.	Parking--In areas not assigned for parking, reserved spaces, no parking zones, or service drive, in hazardous position, within twenty-five feet of a fire hydrant, or on grassed areas.
General Regulations
BICYCLES and MOPEDS must use the extreme right side of the roadways and streets and obey all traffic signals and signs. They will not be taken into buildings nor parked on sidewalks or within areas where they will interfere with pedestrians or motor vehicle traffic. Students are encouraged to use bicycle racks located conveniently about the campus. Bicycles may be registered with the Tennessee Tech Police Department.
Penalties
A.	Registration Violations
	1.	Permit not properly affixed or displayed while parked in an unassigned area. (Does not include the $20 fine, which will be progressive for parking in an unassigned area.) - $25
	2.	Permit not properly affixed or displayed but parked in his/her assigned area - $4
	3.	Failure to register a vehicle - $25
	4.	Displaying a hang tag registered to another person - $35
	5.	An expired temporary permit will be charged as No Decal Violation. The violation charge will be $25 if parked in an Unassigned Area (plus violation charge for Unassigned Area) or $5 if parked in your designated parking lot.
	6.	Altered permit: Temporary - $5 Permanent - $35
B.	Lawful Request
	Students refusing a lawful request from a campus police officer to remove vehicles from unassigned parking areas will be referred to the Vice President for Student Services, and faculty and staff will be referred to the appropriate administrative officer for possible disciplinary action.
C.	Parking violations are progressive. Please see the Tennessee Tech Police Parking and Traffic Regulations Brochure for specific amounts. The fourth violation within any academic semester may result in the motor vehicle registration being revoked by the Vice President for Student Services for a period of six months or the remainder of the academic year, whichever is greater.
D.	Accumulations of Citations
	If a student accumulates more than $200 in fines per semester, he or she will be referred to the Vice President for Student services for possible disciplinary action. If a faculty/staff person accumulates more than $200 in fines per semester, he or she will be referred to the appropriate administrative officer for possible disciplinary action.
E.	All penalties must be paid before a student shall be eligible to receive a transcript of his/her academic work or to re-enroll for a subsequent term of school.
Appeals
A.	A citation received by a student may be appealed to the Student Appeals Committee within fifteen (15) academic days. Appeal forms are available at the Tennessee Tech Police Department. Appeals made later than fifteen (15) days following issuance will not be considered.
B.	Citations received by staff and faculty may be appealed within fifteen (15) academic days to the Staff and Faculty Committee. Appeals forms are available at the Tennessee Tech Police Department and departmental chairpersons’ and deans’ offices.
Office of Tennessee Tech Police
A.	The Tennessee Tech Police Department is located in the University Services Building (phone 372-3234 or 372-6233). It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
B.	Accidents, thefts or any unusual situation or condition should be reported immediately.

TO CALL TENNESSEE TECH POLICE--372-3234 or 372-6233

TO REPORT A FIRE--526-2121 or 9-911

[Source: Office of the Director of Tennessee Tech Police Department and the Faculty and Staff Traffic Appeals Committee.]

This page maintained by Carol Holley. Last Updated: September 12, 2003