Most students can agree there is nothing worse than coming back to a parking ticket after a long day of classes. At VSU, tickets are issued often because of the inadequate amount of spaces located on main campus.

To avoid being fined, students need to know all of the rules and regulations of parking at VSU. Here is all you need to know, provided by the Parking Department.

First and foremost, where can resident and commuter students park on campus without receiving a ticket?

Resident students may park in the Sustella parking deck, Sustella surface lot, and Oak Street surface lot (section D & E unmarked student spaces only). Section D begins directly behind the Oak Street Parking Deck. However, overnight parking is not permitted in the staff or reserved spaces in section D.

Overnight parking violations are issued Monday through Friday beginning at five AM. Also, students who are illegally parked can get a ticket every two hours for the same offense.

Commuter students are able to park in the Oak Street parking deck, P.E. Complex lot, Martin Hall, University Center, Continuing Education lot, University park lot, North Campus lot and the Ashley Cinema lot. VSU students can park at the SGMC parking deck on north campus. However, they are only able to park on the top level with a valid permit.

There is enough parking for both residents and commuters. But, students have to walk a long way from the parking areas to their classes. There is limited parking available for students on main campus, unless it is timed.

Students will receive tickets if they are parked  longer than the space allows, which is usually 45 minutes. For example, if a student only had one class that day, they would still have to walk from the bigger parking decks instead of parking on main campus near class.

Students are permitted to park anywhere except where spaces are labeled reserved, staff or handicap. Parking out of an assigned area results in a ticket of 15 dollars. Parking in a disabled space or blocking disabled spaces results in a 105 dollar fine.

Students’ cars will be towed along with a parking ticket if they are parked in fire lanes, service vehicle lanes or 24 hour reserved spaces.

Parking tickets are also issued to students with no parking permit; expired parking permit and misplaced parking permit on windshield, all for 15 dollars. Students who use a parking permit other than the permit that person has been issued will get a ticket of 55 dollars. Altered parking permits will also result in a fine of 55 dollars.

Failure to pay parking tickets could result in the blocking of transcripts and registration processes, so it is very important students are aware of the spaces they can and can not park.

Story and photo by Callie Pirkle, Staff Writer.

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