Student Handbook – Policies

Motor vehicle and bicycle regulations

I. General expectations

  1. Any student (residential, commuter or auditing a course) who wishes to keep or operate any motor vehicle while enrolled at Goshen College must:
    1. Register any vehicle(s) they may bring to campus and attach the permit to the front windshield lower passenger side by the first day of class once each academic year (fall or spring).
    2. Have the vehicle covered by public liability and property damage insurance, and have a current license plate and tags.
  2. The administration reserves the right to withdraw parking privileges from any student/staff/or faculty.

II. Registration

Students:
Motor vehicle registration at Goshen College is FREE. Registration should be done prior to the first day of class. Registration is done online at http://www.goshen.edu/checkin or at the Physical Plant Web site http://www.goshen.edu/physplant/home/ and pick “Register your vehicle.” You will receive a confirmation e-mail with the sticker number(s) for each vehicle. If you are a residential student, your sticker will be hand delivered by the residential staff; all other students will receive theirs via campus mail. Faculty/staff should still come to the Physical Plant office to register a vehicle.

This policy also applies to any student who brings a motor vehicle onto campus after the beginning of the semester. Students who bring a motor vehicle, other than the one registered, onto campus must register it within seven days.

Display the sticker in the front windshield lower passenger side. On motorbikes and scooters, place them on the rear fender in a clearly visible position. All students that have motorcycles must come to the physical plant office to get them registered. This may not be done on line.

Students with a documented medical condition may apply for a permit that allows parking in restricted areas. Faculty and staff must go to the human resources department for a restricted permit.

Temporary registration of motor vehicles

Temporary registration permits are available for vehicles on campus for a short time. Visitors may obtain a courtesy permit upon request at the physical plant office, ext. 7351. Seminary students who are doing research at Goshen College will be issued a temporary permit for use during their research. Students, who bring a car to campus for a week or two, but not for most of the semester, need a temporary permit. Faculty/Staff:

Please register your vehicle at the Physical Plant office.

III. Regulations

  1. General
    1. No parking
      1. in service drives or spaces
      2. in any area marked by a yellow curb
      3. in areas posted by signs
      4. on sidewalks or lawns
      5. in front of dumpsters
    2. All faculty/staff parking lots have restricted parking from 7:30a.m. to 5p.m. Monday through Friday, and there are some spaces reserved 24 hours for working faculty and staff.
    3. All visitor lots have restricted parking from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Persons with student, faculty, or staff stickers may not park in visitor spaces during these times.
    4. Upon application to the physical plant, a special permit may be given to physically challenged people with a valid doctor’s slip to park in specified areas. Numerous handicap parking spaces are provided on campus and are patrolled regularly to ensure they are not abused. Faculty/staff must apply at the human resource office for a temporary handicap sticker.
    5. College-owned cars must be parked in the physical plant motor pool spaces, or in open parking. They may not be parked in faculty/staff or visitor spaces. Violations of this policy will be charged to the driver or department who signed out the car.
  2. Violations include the following:
    1. Driving recklessly or exceeding campus speed limit of 15 miles per hour
    2. Driving, riding or parking on sidewalks or lawns.
    3. Parking in a restricted area.
    4. Parking in a handicap parking space without proper designation on or in the vehicle.
    5. Failure to register vehicle.
    6. Failure to permanently mount a sticker after purchasing it.
    7. Failure to notify the physical plant within seven days of a license plate change.
    8. Registering a vehicle in another person’s name.
    9. Abandonment or failure to keep vehicle in operable condition. (Flat tires, broken windows, battered body, non-current license plates, etc.) Per city ordinance, such vehicles will be tagged by the city of Goshen and towed at the owner’s expense.
    10. Repeated similar offenses constitute a more serious offense.Vehicles continually found in violation will be subject to having a wheel lock installed.
  3. Traffic control
    1. The physical plant, under the direction of Student Life:
      1. registers motor vehicles operated by students, faculty and staff members of Goshen College
      2. issues and revokes parking permits
      3. issues traffic tickets
      4. assesses and charges fines
      5. assist in recommending policy and signage changes
    2. Appeals must be made in writing to student life within one week from the time the ticket was processed and charged to the violator’s account.
  4. Systems for handling violations
    1. Failure to register a vehicle will result in an automatic $35 fine. Ticketing will begin the first Monday after classes begin. No warnings are given for this offense. With the first ticket, a license check is completed. The individual will be charged a $10 look up fee and given the chance to register their vehicle. All subsequent tickets for non-registration of a vehicle each carry a $35 fine.
    2. Violations are cumulative throughout the school year.
    3. Violations are equal in weight except for failure to register a vehicle.
    4. The first ticket will be considered a warning, except for non-registration of a vehicle.
    5. A $20 fine is levied beginning with the violator’s second ticket. All fines will be charged to violator’s account within five days of the ticket being written.
    6. After three tickets for no current registration and no response from the offender, a wheel lock may be installed. A $45 fine will be charged for removal and license plate check.
    7. Vehicles blocking access to a parking lot, building or dumpster may be impounded. All costs will be the responsibility of the owner.

IV. Questions/Concerns

The Student Life office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. If you have questions regarding your ticket, please contact the office for clarification. Please allow time for ticket to be processed. If, at any time, your vehicle breaks down or you need assistance, please call either the physical plant at ext. 7351 or campus security at ext. 7599.

V. Appeals policy

All appeals must be directed to student life. Appeals will be limited to two conditions in which it can be clearly demonstrated that 1) the ticket writer was in error in giving the ticket, or 2) there was some unusual circumstance, which was beyond the persons’ control. The second limitation does not include the misuse of one’s vehicle by another person, or failing to call security if your car breaks down. The responsibility for the operation and parking of a vehicle rests with the owner, and the Student Life office will not hear appeals in those instances in which someone other than the owner parks or operates a vehicle inappropriately. No appeals will be allowed for violation, which is spelled out in the documents provided by the college. Bringing a vehicle to campus carries with it the responsibility to know all the specific circumstances under which that vehicle may be operated and parked. Persons who receive citations are expected to respond by contacting the student life office immediately. Appeals must be made in writing within one week of the time the ticket was processed and charged to the violator’s account.

VI. Frequently asked questions about parking

  1. My car has broken down and I can’t move it. What should I do?
    First, call campus security at 7599 and they will attempt to help you with your vehicle. Then ask them to leave a message with physical plant in order to avoid a ticket for illegal parking. If you do not contact security when you can’t move your vehicle, you are liable for any and all tickets that you may receive.
  2. My friend/relative drove my car onto campus and they didn’t know the parking rules. Is the ticket void?
    No, you are responsible for anyone that drives or parks your vehicle on the Goshen College campus. All fines will be sent to the person under whom the violating vehicle is registered.
  3. I or my spouse only drive my parent’s/spouse’s car on campus a couple of times a year. Do I need to register it?
    Yes, you have seven days in which to register a vehicle once it first comes on to campus. Please register all vehicles that you may ever drive onto the campus.
  4. I only have a vehicle on campus for a short period of time. What should I do?
    If your vehicle will be on campus for two weeks or less (excluding May term), you should come to the physical plant within seven days to pick up a temporary parking permit. If your vehicle will be on campus for more than two weeks you must register for a permanent registration sticker.
  5. I live close to the campus and I probably won’t ever drive my car on campus. Do I need to register my vehicle?
    A registration sticker is necessary for all students, staff and faculty who drive their vehicles onto campus. It is in your best interest to register your vehicle because any ticket for “No current registration” carries an automatic $35 fine for current students, faculty and staff.
  6. If my spouse brings a car on campus, does it need to be registered?
    Yes. All vehicles must be registered.

Bicycle registration

City ordinance requires that all bicycles owned and operated by students, faculty and staff on campus be registered and licensed with a current Goshen city license. Register all bicycles at physical plant.

The registration fee is $2, payable to the city of Goshen. Bicycles already registered with the Goshen City Fire Department and with current licenses affixed need not re-register.

For ease of snow removal, bikes should either be stored for the winter or parked and locked in the bike rack nearest your residence during the winter months. Bikes left for more than 48 hours in racks not located by the residence halls will be considered abandoned and are subject to removal and assessment of the $10 impoundment fee.

Physical plant will be clearing bikes from the Kratz-Miller-Yoder walkway during the summer months. Any bicycle left there after June 1 will be considered abandoned and will be impounded.

Parking and operating bicycles

Lock your bicycle and park it in a bicycle rack or rack area when not in use. Do not park within 15 feet of any building entrance. Do not park or store bicycles in lobbies, hallways, storage rooms or public areas. Bicycles found in these areas are subject to impoundment. Non-operative bicycles will be impounded. They can be redeemed for $10 and the repair of the bike. Ride slowly and cautiously on sidewalks where people are walking. If your bike is stolen, please notify the Goshen police department and campus security immediately.

Impounded bicycles

The physical plant department will store impounded bicycles. Any impounded bicycle stored 30 days or more will be sold. If your bicycle has been impounded you must pay $10 to get your bicycle back. We are not responsible for locks that have been cut.