Traffic and Parking Regulations Policy

Policy Number
IV:30:07

Purpose

The purpose of these traffic and parking regulations is to facilitate the orderly and efficient flow of traffic, to provide a safe atmosphere for both pedestrians and motor vehicle operators, and to provide order with regard to parking within limited space. The entry, operation, and control of motor vehicles on college property are authorized by this policy. Enforcement of traffic and parking violations is for the purpose of controlling congestion, assuring that only authorized persons are using the facilities of Volunteer State Community College (VSCC), and controlling the proper utilization of parking spaces. Citations will be issued when, in the judgment of the officer, a specific vehicle is in violation of the VSCC’s traffic and parking policies. Persons operating a vehicle on campus are responsible for compliance with all state, county, and city ordinances relating to ownership, registration, and operation of motor vehicles. The Chief of Campus Police is responsible for the enforcement of this policy, Tennessee Motor Vehicle Laws, and related city ordinances.

VSCC parking areas are restricted for use by its faculty, staff, students, and guests for events approved by the College. VSCC shall have no responsibility for the theft of or damage to any motor vehicle or its contents while parked or operated on VSCC-owned or controlled property. In addition, the VSCC assumes no responsibility for the care and protection of any motor vehicle or contents during its removal or subsequent storage for violation of VSCC traffic and parking regulations. Any violation of these regulations by a VSCC student, faculty, or staff is subject to appropriate disciplinary action. Additionally, all traffic accidents, that occur on campus and involve injury to persons or damage to equipment, property, or vehicles, must be reported to the Campus Police Department.

Any person operating a motor vehicle on VSCC-owned, or controlled property is required to obey this policy as a condition of parking or operating a motor vehicle. This policy is enforceable seven (7) days a week, twenty-four (24) hours a day, including holidays and breaks.

Definitions

As used in this policy:

  • Motor vehicle means any self-propelled vehicle that can exceed twenty- five (25) miles per hour.
  • Employee means all faculty, executive, administrative, professional, and support staff employed in the service of and whose compensation is paid by a TBR institution. An employee does not include independent contractors who provide goods or services to the institution or student workers as defined in TBR Policy 5.01.01.00.

A. Policy/Guidelines

  1. All employees and students must complete the online parking decal registration form located on the Vol State website. Individuals may register for no more than two parking decals. Upon completion of the registration form, individuals must obtain a parking decal(s) during business hours at the following locations:

    Employees - Wood Campus Center, Campus Police Department at the Gallatin Campus. Decals will be sent to employees through campus mail at each of the satellite campuses. Employees must present a current Vol State ID to obtain a decal.

    Students - Student Services Division at each campus site. Each student must present a current Student ID to obtain a decal.

  2. All employees and students must display a parking decal. Failure to display this decal may result in a citation and a fine.
  3. Parking decals must be placed on the exterior of the rear window in the bottom left corner on the driver’s side. Motorcycle operators are encouraged to register but are not required to display a decal. Interior decals will solely be issued through the Campus Police Department with verification of the vehicle type. Soft top/convertible vehicles are the only vehicles qualifying for an interior decal. Interior decals must be displayed on the interior of the front windshield in the lower right corner on the passenger side.
  4. Temporary parking permits must be displayed on any non-registered vehicle when parked on campus. It is the responsibility of the employee and student to obtain a temporary permit when using an alternate vehicle without a parking decal. Temporary parking permits may be obtained from the Campus Police Department at each campus site.
  5. Vehicle owners/operators are required to notify the Campus Police Department of any vehicle being left on campus overnight or for an extended period.
  6. Lost or stolen decals must be reported immediately to the Campus Police Department.
  7. Misrepresentation – Any person who obtains a decal through misrepresentation will be subject to disciplinary action. No person shall obtain a decal for anyone other than himself or herself to park in employee or designated restricted parking spaces.
  8. All visitors, vendors, and contractors conducting college business on campus are required to obtain and display a temporary parking pass from the Campus Police Department at each campus site.
  9. The Campus Police Department will honor current parking decals from all universities and colleges that hold classes on VSCC campuses.

B. Parking Regulations

The issuance of a parking decal does not guarantee a parking space. The inability to locate a designated parking space does not diminish the responsibility to park in accordance with this policy unless approved by the Chief of Campus Police or designee.

  1. Parking violations include but are not limited to:

    1. Parking along curbs
    2. Parking in driveways and intersections
    3. Parking on grass or lawns
    4. Parking in roadways
    5. Parking on sidewalks
    6. Parking across painted lines in such a way as to take up more than one designated parking space
    7. Parking which obstructs traffic as in double parking
    8. Parking in a fire lane
    9. Parking within fifteen (15) feet of a fire hydrant
    10. Failure to or improper display of a parking decal
    11. Blocking access to trash dumpsters or recycle containers
    12. Use of college parking facilities for purposes other than its designated use

    The absence of “no parking” signs or painted curbs/lines does not imply that parking is allowed. Parking in designated lots is restricted to designated spaces only. Motor vehicles parked outside of designated spaces are subject to citation and towing, and the owner/operator may be subject to disciplinary or administrative action.

  2. Employees and students are not permitted to park in “Visitor” parking spaces.
  3. Disability parking violation, as defined by State law (including, but not limited to, unauthorized use of a disabled parking space, ramp, plate, or placard; parking a motor vehicle so that a portion of the motor vehicle encroaches into a disabled space in a manner that restricts, or reasonably could restrict, a person confined to a wheelchair from exiting or entering a motor vehicle properly parked within a disabled parking space). Fines for violating the disabled parking laws cannot be suspended or waived where prohibited by T.C.A. § 55- 21-108.
  4. Any unattended vehicles will be considered parked.
  5. Motorcycles, motorbikes, and motorscooters are only permitted to park in parking spaces designated as “motorcycle parking” or in other regularly marked parking spaces. Operating these motor vehicles on any surface other than designated streets or parking areas is prohibited. Electric vehicle charging stations are to be used only while actively charging an electric vehicle so that all electric vehicle owners can more readily access a station when needed.
  6. Electric vehicle charging stations are open on a first come, first serve basis, and may not be reserved.
  7. Only those charging an electric vehicle can park in these designated spaces. A non-electric vehicle parked in a designated charging space is subject to a citation.

C. Traffic Regulations

  1. Motor Vehicle Operation
    1. Operators of motor vehicles on VSCC-owned or controlled property, which includes city streets running through campus, must obey all traffic rules, regulations, postings, and directions of law enforcement, regardless of whether the rule, regulation, posting, or direction is included in these rules, and all applicable traffic rules, regulations, postings, or directions.
    2. Violations of posted speed limits, the reckless operation of a motor vehicle on VSCC-owned or controlled property, including but not limited to, squealing tires, or sliding the motor vehicle.
    3. All persons operating motor vehicles are responsible for maintaining proper control of the motor vehicle, safe operation, and observance of traffic control signs, barriers, and devices.
    4. Operating a motor vehicle in any area other than a street or a roadway intended for motor vehicles is prohibited. Exception – VSCC police and service vehicles including trucks, cars, and gasoline-powered utility vehicles.
    5. Pedestrians have the right of way at established pedestrian crossings, except where regulated by traffic control lights or police officers.
  2. Traffic Regulations include but are not limited to:
    1. Speed limit on all campuses is 20 mph.
    2. All vehicles shall come to a complete stop at stop signs and crosswalks.
    3. Driving vehicles on the grass is prohibited. Exception – VSCC service vehicles including trucks, cars, and gasoline-powered utility vehicles.
  3. Traffic Violations include but are not limited to:
    1. Failure to obey stop sign or traffic signal
    2. Failure to yield to pedestrians at crosswalk
    3. Speeding (exceeding maximum speed limit)
    4. Failure to yield right-of-way
    5. Operating or riding a motorcycle without protective headgear
    6. Failure to obey the lawful direction of an officer Failure to yield to an emergency vehicle

  4. Criminal Traffic Violations

    Criminal Traffic Violations include but are not limited to the following and are subject to arrest:

    1. Reckless driving
    2. Driving while intoxicated
    3. Leaving the scene of an accident with injury
    4. Leaving the scene of an accident with property damage
    5. Racing or drag racing with motor vehicle
    6. Pacing a school bus (loading or unloading)

    7. Operating a vehicle with a revoked or suspended license

      Campus Police Officers reserve the right to issue citations for violations of this policy, city, or county ordinances, and/or state laws. Individuals who receive a citation for violations of city or county ordinances and/or state laws must appear in court on the court date listed on the citation or pay the citation fine if an appearance in court is not required.

    *State citations require a court appearance in the county/city where the citation was issued (i.e. Cookeville – Putnam County, Gallatin – Sumner County, Springfield – Robertson County, and Livingston – Overton County.

D. Fines/Penalties

  1. Citations, Penalties & Fines;
    1. Fines for violations within this policy are $25 per violation or the amount set by any state law, or any county or municipal ordinance in the College’s jurisdiction for the same offense. If a state statute requires that a fine be set at more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00), the fine shall be set in compliance with the statute. Any such citation written as a violation of a city or county ordinance and/or state law will be resolved by a court; any such violation issued as an institutional citation shall not involve a fine of greater than twenty-five dollars ($25.00).
    2. Penalties for non-payment: Employees failing to pay will be subject to sanctions set forth in TBR Guideline B-010.
    3. Any student who receives $100.00 or more in traffic and/or parking violations on VSCC-owned or controlled property during any semester may be subject to disciplinary action.
    4. VSCC may revoke parking privileges for repeated and/or deliberate parking or moving violations.
    5. Parking decals are issued to persons, not motor vehicles, and are required to be affixed to a motor vehicle. Decal holders are responsible for citations incurred with their decal. Persons will also be held liable for a violation incurred by a motor vehicle without a decal when that motor vehicle is reasonably shown to be associated with the person.
    6. Any student, employee, or visitor who has received an institution-issued citation may appeal the citation within fifteen (15) business days of the date of issuance. Citations issued by the institution and not appealed must be paid within fifteen (15) business days of the issuance date of the citation.

  2. Towing/Impoundment of Vehicles

    VSCC may tow, boot, or remove to a place of storage at the owner’s expense any motor vehicle that has unpaid parking citations as long as advance notice and an opportunity to contest has been given. Windshield notices and/or other methods of notification will be used to provide the operator of the motor vehicle with advance notice of the intent to tow and the operator's right to a contest.

    VSCC, without advance notice, may tow, boot, or remove to a place of storage at the owner’s expense any motor vehicle that is parked in a fire lane, designated disabled parking space, spaces reserved for designated motor vehicles, or motor vehicles parked in such a manner as to impede the flow of traffic or disrupt the orderly affairs of the institution, or any non-operative vehicle parked on VSCC-owned or controlled property for longer than seven (7) days without permission from the Campus Police Department.

E. Citation Appeals

Individuals who choose to file an appeal must do so within fifteen (15) business days from the date of the issuance. Citation appeal forms must be completed online and can be found on the Vol State website. Supporting documentation/evidence must be included when submitting the citation appeal form. Citations issued by the institution and not appealed must be paid within fifteen (15) business days from the date the citation was issued.

  1. Employee and Visitor Traffic Appeals

    The Assistant Chief of Campus Police or designee is charged with hearing faculty, staff, and visitor traffic appeals.

    The Assistant Chief of Campus Police or designee shall:

    1. Conduct appeal reviews on an as-needed basis.
    2. Make a decision to uphold or deny the citation.
    3. Reach a final decision no later than five (5) business days after the appeal is received.
    4. Notify the appellant and the Business Office of the outcome.
    5. Maintain a current file of all decisions.
    6. All decisions for employee and visitor appeals are final.

  2. Student Citation Appeals

    The Student Government Association (SGA) Judiciary Committee is charged to hear student citation appeals.

    The Committee shall:

    1. Have at least four (4) members of the committee present in order to hear appeals.
    2. Conduct hearings on an as-needed basis. The appellant will be notified of the hearing time and date two (2) weeks prior to the hearing. The appellant may request to waive the two (2) weeks’ notice for an earlier hearing.
    3. Vote to uphold or deny the citation by a majority of the committee members present.
    4. Will notify the appellant of the committee’s decision.
    5. Keep a current file of all decisions by the Committee maintained by the recorder and kept in the Student Engagement and Support office.
    6. Reach a final decision no later than five (5) business days after a student’s case is heard.
    7. All decisions for student appeals are final.

This policy is promulgated pursuant to, and in compliance with, TBR Rule 0240-02-03-.05 Traffic and Parking. To the extent that a conflict exists between this policy and TBR rule, policy and/or applicable law(s), the TBR rule, policy and/or law will control. History – Adopted by TBR: 12/8/11. Effective: 1/29/12.

 

TBR Source: TBR Meetings, December 2, 1977; March 3, 1978; March 18, 1983; September 30, 1983; TBR Board Meeting, March 29, 2012; TBR Board Meeting June 19, 2015; TBR Board Meeting, June 18, 2021 effective October 11, 2021. 

VSCC Source: President’s Cabinet August 11, 2014; President’s Cabinet August 13, 2018; President’s Cabinet November 30, 2022