On-Campus Parking

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All faculty, staff, and students who wish to park a motor vehicle on campus must have proper insurance and a current license plate and tags. Certain parking spaces may be off-limits to you depending on how your car is registered.  If you have received a ticket and you have read the Motor Vehicle Regulations and you believe that you should not have received a ticket, contact us the Director of Student Life Operations and Campus Safety at chadc@goshen.edu.

Vehicle Registration

Motor vehicle registration at Goshen College is FREE and MANDATORY. Registration is completed online at https://www.goshen.edu/safety/parking/. Permits will be sent via campus mail or distributed during check-in at new student day orientation. Parking stickers should be displayed on the front windshield lower passenger side of registered vehicles. Parking stickers for motorbikes and scooters should be placed on the rear fender in a clearly visible position. Students and employees with a documented medical condition may apply for a special permit at the Student Life office that allows parking in restricted areas.

Regulations

• No Parking is permitted in the motor pool, service drives, areas marked by a yellow curb, in areas posted by signs (i.e. Bookstore, AVI), sidewalks or lawns, or in front of dumpsters.
• All non-student parking lots have restricted parking from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. There are some spaces noted with signs that are reserved for 24 hours.
• All visitor lots have restricted parking from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Persons with student and employee stickers may not park in visitor spaces during these times.
• Upon application at Student Life (WY 121), 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. College-owned cars must be parked in the physical plant motor pool spaces, or in open parking. They may not be parked in non-student or visitor spaces. Violations of this policy will be charged to the driver or department who signed out the car.
• All Parking lots are unrestricted after 5 PM – 7:30 AM weekdays and all weekend long with exception to fire lanes, handicap spaces, loading zones, and spaces designated as restricted 24 hours.

Traffic Control

The Department of Campus Safety and all parking operations are under the direction of Student Life and supervises the following:

• Registration of motor vehicles operated by students and employees of Goshen College.
• Issues and revokes parking permits.
• Issues traffic tickets.
• Assesses and charges parking and traffic fines.
• Assists in recommending policy and signage changes.

Traffic & Parking Violations Include

• Driving recklessly or exceeding the campus speed limit of 15 miles per hour.
• Driving, riding or parking on sidewalks or lawns.
• Parking in a restricted area.
• Parking in a handicap parking space without proper designation on or in the vehicle.
• Failure to register a vehicle.
• Failure to permanently mount a sticker after registering it.
• Failure to notify the physical plant within seven days of a license plate change.
• Registering a vehicle in another person’s name.
• Abandonment or failure to keep the 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.

Handling Violations

• A $20 fine will be levied for all violations of campus traffic and parking regulations—including a failure to register a vehicle.
• Each academic year a grace period will be extended for student parking lots from New Student Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Fire lanes, handicap parking, visitor lots, and non-student parking spaces will still be monitored and ticketed during this time.
• Multiple traffic violations for the same, or similar violations, may result in the deployment of a vehicle immobilizing boot on the violating vehicle until a conference can be conducted between the offender and the Director of Student Life Operations.
• In situations where a vehicle is left in a position of violation for a period of 72 hours, the Director of Student Life Operations reserves that right to tow the vehicle off campus at the owner’s expense. Attempts to contact owner will be made and documented if the vehicle is registered. If the vehicle is unregistered, then the vehicle will be reported to Goshen Police Department as an abandoned vehicle.

Appeals Process

Appeals must be made in writing to chadc@goshen.edu or in-person to the Director of Student Life Operations (RFC 101D) within 7-days from the date and time the ticket was issued.

Grounds for appeal include the following:

• There is substantial evidence that you did not commit the violation.
• Before receiving the citation, you made demonstrable attempts to notify Campus Safety of the situation.
• The citation was issued mistakenly due to a partially covered registration sticker on your front passenger side windshield.
  

Appeals will not be granted for the following:

• Not knowing the parking rules.
• Needing to park for a short period.
• Inability to find a parking spot.
• Incorrect Permit.
• Failure to obtain a temporary permit.
• Failure to notice parking lot signage. (Not all spaces are marked with a sign)
• Failure to display a parking permit.

Parking FAQ

My car has broken down and I can’t move it. What should I do?

Call Campus Safety at 7599 and they will attempt to help you with your vehicle. If you do not contact Campus Safety you will be liable for any and all tickets that you receive.

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.

I 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. Registration is free. Please register all vehicles that you may ever drive onto the campus.

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 Student Life office 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.

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 and employees 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 $20 fine for current students and employees.

Will Campus Safety help me start my car if it needs a jump or help me break into my vehicle should I lock the keys inside?

Campus Safety officers have access to jumper cables and a battery charger to assist students, faculty, and staff in starting their vehicles. However, we do not have the capabilities or equipment to break into a locked vehicle. If you lock keys inside your car you will have to call a locksmith or acquire a spare key.