Parking and Transportation UPPS No. 05.07.02
Issue No. 3
Effective Date: 03/7/2011
Review: January 1 E3Y
01. POLICY STATEMENTS
01.01 Texas
Education Code 54.511, Purpose.
This
UPPS establishes the policies and procedures not specifically covered in the annual
University, Parking Traffic, and Safety Regulations.
Other
information that deals with parking policy is found in UPPS No.
05.07.01, Collecting Parking Violation Fees; the annual University Parking,
Traffic, and Safety regulations; and the parking Web site (www.parking.txstate.edu).
01.02 Texas
State University-San Marcos recognizes that access to the facilities and
services on campus is essential to realizing our educational goals. Therefore,
as an institution, we aspire to:
a. Provide
adequate, reasonably convenient and safe parking for all employees, students
and visitors to the extent that the beauty and environment of Texas State will
not be adversely affected;
b. Maintain
an efficient and effective bus system for students, faculty, and staff to
alleviate parking and traffic congestion on campus;
c. Assure
that the parking and bus systems are self-supporting;
d. Develop,
through the representative of the Transportation and Parking Committee, clear
and equitable transportation, traffic, and parking policies;
e. Enforce
those policies equitably; and
f. Cooperate
with the City of San Marcos on matters of common concern.
02. GENERAL PROVISIONS
02.01 Parking
Services is responsible for issuing parking permits, enforcing university
parking rules, collecting permit and violation fees, and managing parking in
university parking areas.
02.02 The
university will not honor departmental or self-made parking permits.
02.03 All
employees and students who park a vehicle on university property, except the Lyndon
B. Johnson (LBJ) Student Center garage, are required to complete a vehicle
registration card and purchase a parking permit.
02.04 Permits
must be displayed anytime a vehicle is parked on university property. Annual
permits are valid for one full academic year (August 15 through August 15).
02.05 University
parking regulations are enforced 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. For a complete
set of parking regulations, see http://www.parking.txstate.edu/regulations.htm.
03. PERMIT ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL EMPLOYEES AND
STUDENTS
03.01 Faculty
(full- and part-time regular) with the job code of lecturer or higher are
eligible for a “red restricted” permit.
03.02 Staff
(regular or temporary) employed .5 FTE or more as indicated on a Personnel
Change Request (PCR) or other official university payroll document are eligible
for a “red restricted” permit.
03.03 The
Associated Student Government (ASG) president and vice president and others as
approved by the Parking and Transportation Committee or the university president
are eligible for a “red restricted” permit.
03.04 Residence
hall students, as verified by the Residence Life office, are eligible for a
“residential hall” permit or “commuter” permit.
03.05 Students
living in university-owned apartments, as verified by the Residence Life
office, are eligible for an “apartment” permit. The “apartment” permit is only
valid for the specific apartment complex in which the student lives.
03.06 Graduate
teaching assistants who are reported as the “teacher of record” for an organized
class are eligible for a “red restricted” permit.
03.07 Parking
lot signage indicates which permitted vehicles can park in the lots and the
times at which these permitted vehicles may park.
04. PERMIT FEES
04.01 The
current fees associated with various permits are described in the University
Parking, Traffic, and Safety Regulations.
04.02 Students
who have dropped all classes, officially withdrawn from the university, or who
do not return in the subsequent semester (spring only) may receive a prorated
refund of the parking permit fee. If the permit is returned to Parking Services
and the refund request form completed within 30 days of the following dates,
refunds will be subject to the following schedule:
For
Permits Purchased Fall Semester
Dropped all classes or withdrawn from
the university
by the 12th class day 100%
Dropped
all classes or withdrawn from the university
between the 12th class day
and the last official date to
drop all classes or withdraw from the
university (as
published) for the fall semester 50%
Graduated, dropped all spring classes,
or withdrawn
from the university by the 12th
class day of the spring
semester 25%
For Permits Purchased Spring Semester
Dropped all classes or withdrawn from
the university
by the 12th class day 100%
Dropped all classes or withdrawn from
the university
between the 12th class day and the last official date to
drop all classes or withdraw from the university
(as
published) for the spring semester 50%
For
Permits Purchased Summer Semester
Dropped
all classes or withdrawn from the university
by the 4th class day 100%
Refund
dates are also applicable to faculty and staff persons who terminate
employment.
05. VISITOR
AND GUEST PARKING PROCEDURES
05.01 Visitors
to Texas State are defined as persons who are temporarily on campus and not
associated with the university as faculty or staff, degree or non-degree
seeking students, Continuing Education employees, or Continuing Education
students. Persons on campus for the sole purpose of using university facilities
such as the Alkek Library, Campus Recreation, parks, and athletic fields must
purchase a commuter permit. Faculty, staff and students are not considered
visitors to the campus.
05.02 Visitor parking is available as follows:
a. at
the LBJ Student Center Garage and metered spaces throughout campus for a fee;
and
b. Officially
designated visitor spaces do not require a fee. However, a temporary permit
available from Parking Services must be displayed on vehicles parked in these
spaces.
05.03 Hosts of official university guests must request guest permits from Parking Services at least two business days in advance.
06. SPECIAL
EVENT PARKING PROCEDURES
06.01 General
Information
a. Parking
Services, as provided in this UPPS, will work to accommodate requests for
special event parking. The academic calendar will affect the ability to
accommodate special event parking. Student and faculty demand diminishes during
summer school terms and between semesters, making the accommodation of
large-group or event parking in permit areas more likely. Most often, lots will
be able to "absorb" visitor and guest vehicles. Smaller requests (up
to 10 vehicles) may not require special arrangements (e. g., overtime officers,
coning or barricading spaces).
b. University
departments planning to host or authorize any event must contact Parking
Services concerning parking availability prior to scheduling the event.
c. If
parking cannot be arranged for an event without seriously impacting the course
of regular parking, traffic, and shuttle bus services, Parking Services may
seek approval from an appropriate vice president before the event can be
scheduled.
d. Persons
attending events in or near the LBJ Student Center must park in the LBJ Student
Center garage. Special arrangements and fees may be considered by the manager
of the LBJ Student Center garage.
e. From 5:00 p.m. Friday until 7 p.m. Sunday evenings, visitors and guests are not ticketed for "No Permit" violations. However, the request for special parking arrangements or to reserve a parking area as described in the subsequent section is still required for proper coordination of events.
06.02 Authority
to Approve or Deny Special Event Parking
a. The
director of the University Police Department (UPD) or supervisor of the Parking
Services office have the sole authority to approve or deny the use of any
permit parking lot, facility, or street parking location for any special event
or function unless appealed to the vice president for Student Affairs. No
person or department may schedule or direct the use of a permit parking area.
b. UPD
and Parking Services must authorize the use of their resources before
committing these resources for special event parking or functions.
06.03 Scheduling
of Parking Facilities
a. Sponsors
must request assistance for special event parking that involves more than 10
vehicles at least two weeks in advance of the event using the Special Event Parking
Request Form (see Attachment
I).
b. For
small groups (e. g., of 10 vehicles or fewer), e-mail or hard copy requests are
acceptable. Sponsors must submit requests at least two weeks in advance to the manager
of Parking Services. The request must include: the date, time, and a
description of the event or the reason for the request; number of expected
attendees; and the type of vehicles (cars, vans or buses). The manager of the
Parking Services office, or his or her designee, will contact the requester
within 48 hours of receipt to identify what parking facilities may be available
or to offer alternative suggestions to accommodate the request.
06.04 Scheduling
Priorities
a. Large
events may result in an excessive number of vehicles parking on campus and have
the potential to impact the normal academic functions of the university. It is
important to coordinate all parking needs for large groups with Parking
Services prior to scheduling an event. Requests must be made at least two weeks
in advance and always prior to the dissemination of parking information.
b. First priority is the parking needs of students, faculty, and staff. Every effort will be made to accommodate special event parking, in such a manner as to seriously not impact the normal function and activity of the university's academic schedule.
c. Second
priority will be given to university and department-sponsored events. Such
events include: 1) athletic events; 2) Fine Arts performances and exhibits; 3)
departmental-sponsored lectures; conferences or committee meetings; and 4)
events of university-recognized organizations.
d. Third
priority will be given to non-university sponsored events. Offices responsible
for scheduling facilities such as Evans Auditorium, UPACC, Music Building,
Theatre Center, the Glade Theatre and others, must initiate the event parking
request and should follow the same procedures and timelines required for
university-related events. Texas State hosts, offices, or departments should
not advise non-Texas State persons to contact Parking Services independently to
arrange special parking needs.
e. Residential
parking spaces will be reserved for special events or programs only under the
extraordinary circumstances and only with the approval of the director of
Housing and Residential Life.
06.05 Special
Events Parking Costs and Payment Procedure
a. Many
special events parking arrangements can be coordinated without an additional
fee or overtime services. When necessary, the manager of Parking Services will
inform the requester of the potential fees and expenses involved upon receiving
the request.
b. The
Texas State account number to which Parking Services will charge fees and
overtime expenses must be indicated on the request and an authorized signature
is required.
c. For
services provided to a non-Texas State affiliated person or organization, fees
and expenses must be pre-paid one week prior to the event.
07. TYPES OF TEMPORARY PERMITS
07.01 The following types of temporary permits are available from Parking Services:
a. One-Day
Temporary – Valid until 9:00 a.m. the following day. For use by all Texas
State employees and students who bring a vehicle to campus other than the
vehicle already registered at Parking Services. A maximum of 3 one-day
temporary permits may be obtained in any regular semester or between May 30 and
August 1 of each year.
b. Weekly
Temporary – Can be purchased for up to eight weeks for use on a vehicle
other than the one registered with Parking Services. These permits are for
individuals with vehicles under long-term repair conditions or for persons with
short-term assignments on campus.
c. Loading
Zone – Valid while stopped in designated loading zone areas for purposes of
loading or unloading heavy or bulky items.
d. 30-Minute
– For use by persons who must conduct short-term business at JCK. The
time-stamped permit may be obtained at the JCK Parking and Information Booth
and exempts the vehicle from color zone restrictions for 30 minutes.
e. Service
Delivery – For individuals who are required to perform job duties
throughout campus. The service delivery permit is valid for 2 hours in signed
service delivery spaces, 20 minutes in signed loading zones, and exempts the
vehicle from color zone restrictions.
f. Temporary Mobility Impaired – As defined in Section 08.01 b.
08. DISABLED
PERSON PARKING PROCEDURES
08.01 Disabled Permits: Disability means any temporary or permanent impairment restricting an individual's mobility.
a. Mobility
Impaired – Only persons displaying a state-issued disabled person license
plate or hanging tag can use the designated disabled parking spaces. Mobility
impaired Texas State employees and students must also have a Texas State
parking permit.
b. Temporary Mobility Impaired – All Texas State employees and students who have temporary mobility impairment may obtain a temporary "All-Zone" permit with written notification from the Student Health Center or a personal physician indicating the disability and its anticipated duration. The expected period of time must be included and may not exceed 60 days. Vehicles displaying this permit are exempt from color zone classifications, but may not be used in official disabled parking spaces.
09. CONTINUING EDUCATION STUDENTS AND STAFF
09.01 Continuing
Education permits must be purchased through Parking Services and distributed
through the Continuing Education department.
09.02 Faculty
and staff of Continuing Education classes are subject to the same provisions
for regular faculty and staff.
10. ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES
10.01 Parking
Services enforces the university parking rules and regulations and is
authorized to issue parking tickets, install vehicle boots, or impound vehicles
for violation.
10.02 Parking
violations and fines for parking violations are described in the University Parking,
Traffic, and Safety Regulations.
10.03 Individuals
with unpaid fines will be prohibited from registering for classes, obtaining
transcripts or purchasing a Texas State parking permit.
10.04 Chronic
Offender Policy – Any person who has parked a vehicle or vehicles on university
property that has been issued five or more tickets within a continuous 12-month
period, regardless of whether the tickets are paid or on appeal, will be
considered a chronic offender of the university’s parking rules. Chronic
offenders may continue to park legally on campus; however, when a vehicle which
has been assigned to a chronic offender is found illegally-parked, it is
subject to 1) immediate impound and 2) a $150 chronic offender fee.
10.05 Persons
may appeal parking tickets to the Parking Services office or to the Parking
Appeals Committee. Either the Parking Services office or the Parking Appeals
Committee may cancel or reduce fines if enforcement action was not in
accordance with university regulations or if extenuating circumstances warrant
such action.
10.06 Suspensions
of parking privileges must be appealed to the
Transportation and Parking Committee.
11. FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
11.01 Any
service provided by the Parking Services office beyond its normal daily
operations may be charged (as defined in Attachment
I) to the Texas State host, office or department sponsoring the event or
requesting the additional coverage. Parking Services reserves the right to
determine if events require additional staffing.
12. BUS SERVICE
12.01 The Bobcat Tram is a bus service operated for all Texas State students, faculty and staff. The system is designed to help alleviate parking and traffic congestion on campus. The system transports students, faculty and staff from the remote parking areas and concentrated student population areas in the city of San Marcos to the central campus, as well as providing a means of cross-campus travel. Intercity bus service is available at an additional cost from Austin, Kyle, New Braunfels, and San Antonio and is open to the students, faculty, staff and the general public.
12.02 Authority
of the Board of Regents
a. The
Board of Regents of the Texas State University System is authorized to charge
each student enrolled at Texas State a fee to finance bus service for students
attending the university (Texas Education Code 54.511).
b. The Board may not increase the bus fee more than once in an academic year for the purpose of covering increased operating costs of the bus service. Any increase in the bus fee must be approved by a majority vote of those students participating in a general election called for that purpose.
12.03 Students
pay the bus fee at registration. A portion of each faculty and staff parking
permit fee is forwarded to Auxiliary Services to finance bus access for faculty
and staff.
12.04 The
system is in full operation on all scheduled class and final exam dates during
the fall and spring semesters. Reduced bus service is available during the
summer semesters. Limited intercity bus service is available on most non-class
weekdays. The bus fleet is air-conditioned and meets federal ADA standards.
12.05 Routes
and schedules may be adjusted by Auxiliary Services at the beginning of each
semester based on the level of demand on the bus service. Routes and schedules
are subject to change without notice. Current route and schedule information is
available at selected display cases around the campus, LBJ Student Center
information desk, Auxiliary Services office, or may be viewed on the university's
Web page at http://www.txstate.edu/tram.
12.06 Periodic
route and service evaluation occurs through demographic analysis; ridership
analysis; and student surveys. The information is used to make major route and
schedule modifications along with input from ASG and the Parking and Transportation
Committee.
12.07 Responsibility
for the Bobcat Tram is assigned to the vice president for Finance and Support
Services. The system is operated as an auxiliary enterprise under the
supervision of the director of Auxiliary Services. Bus service is currently provided
by contract.
13. USE OF GOLF CARTS ON CAMPUS
13.01 Attachment
II contains rules and regulations as they pertain to the use of golf carts
on campus.
14. USE OF BICYCLES ON CAMPUS
14.01 Attachment
III contains rules and regulations as they pertain to the use of bicycles
on campus.
15. REVIEWERS OF THIS UPPS
15.01 Reviewers
of this UPPS include the following:
Position Date
Assistant Director, Parking Services January 1 E3Y
Assistant Director, Auxiliary Services January 1 E3Y
Transportation and Parking Committee January 1 E3Y
16. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT
This
UPPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official
capacities and represents Texas State policy and procedure from the date of
this document until superseded.
Assistant
Director, Parking Services; senior reviewer of this UPPS
Director,
University Police Department
Vice
President for Student Affairs
President