Parking and Traffic Regulations

Before beginning, make sure the following information is available:

• HSU ID#: (HSU Contractors use company name.)
• Driver’s license
• Vehicle information
• Current vehicle insurance information

Incomplete applications will be rejected.

Once approved, instructions will be emailed on how to obtain the decal.

Click on the following link to begin:

HSU Online Permit Registration

Parking Decal Placement on your Vehicle

For questions regarding parking decals email: hsupolice@hsutx.edu

All students, faculty, and staff must comply with the regulations governing motor vehicles and bicycles set forth by the University. Such an agreement is implied by the actual operation of a vehicle on the Hardin-Simmons University property. While the University will make every effort to protect vehicles on its property, the University (nor its officers or employees) cannot assume any responsibility for the care or protection of any vehicle or its content.

Registration

Employees

All motor vehicles, motorcycles operated or parked on HSU property by any University employee, contract employee (ABM or ARAMARK), or currently enrolled student must be registered with the HSU Police Department and must properly display a valid permit on said vehicle.

Timely Registration

University employees and students will be allowed a grace period of five business days in which to register their vehicle beginning with the first day of class of each semester (Fall, Spring, Summer I, Summer II). Any citation issued after the expiration of the fifth day will not be subject to dismissal.

Temporary Permits

Any motorized vehicle that is operated on campus must display a valid permit. Should the need arise in which a student or employee is required to operate a replacement, loaned, or leased vehicle on campus a temporary permit (free of charge) must be obtained for said vehicle within 24 hours. A first citation issued to any unregistered vehicle defined herein will be dismissed and considered a warning citation. Any subsequent citation issued to the same vehicle 24 hours or more after the first citation will not be subject to dismissal.

Visitors

Visitors are defined as one who is not enrolled, has no relationship with HSU as faculty, administration, student, or staff. Student’s spouses are not considered visitors.

Guests who use the registered vehicle of a student, staff or faculty member are subject to the same parking limitations as the registrant and must park according to the decal. ACU, McMurry, Patty Hanks School of Nursing, Abilene High School, Cooper High School, and Cisco Junior College students are not considered visitors while taking classes.

Attention: Student dependents of current HSU faculty and staff are not authorized to use faculty/staff parking spaces while attending class or while working at HSU. If a student is using his or her parent’s vehicle that has been issued a faculty/staff permit, he or she must park in his or her respective designated area (commuter or resident parking).

Auto Permits

• Students, faculty, and staff decals must be affixed to the outside of the vehicle’s rear window, lower left side. (Permits for convertibles may be placed on the front windshield, driver’s side, above the state registration.)
• The parking decal must be displayed within 24 hours of receiving it.
• In case of a citation, the student that corresponds to the parking decal will be charged, even if someone else was driving the vehicle.
• All parking decals are numbered. Resident or Commuter are noted on the parking decal.
• Monday through Friday, 7:30 am- 5:30 pm, Residential students need to park in appropriate Residence Hall & UP Apartment parking lots and in the open lots. Open lots are defined on the parking map. These parking lots are also defined with signs designating the decals allowed in those parking lots.
• Additional parking is available in the “Open Parking Lots”. These include Sandefer Fieldhouse parking lot, Cowboy Band Hall, Intramural Field, Simmons Street parking lot, & Skiles parking lot.
• Open parking is available to students, faculty, and staff on weekends and after 5:30pm until 7:30am on weekdays. No parking is allowed in red zones, handicap, President, Vice Presidents, Dean, Residence Hall Directors, or Reserved or Rental spaces at any time.
• Students residing off campus (commuters) may park in any parking spaces marked “commuter”, “com/vis”, where signs indicate, or any of the open parking lots listed above.
• Adjunct decals: Grad students, from all Universities, will receive a Commuter decal and will adhere to the parking regulations of commuter parking. Visiting Professors that teach a class at HSU will receive a Commuter hanger and will be required to park in commuter parking during business hours.
• Motorcycles must be registered and may park in commuter spaces and spaces marked “Motorcycle”.
• Registration decals from McMurry, ACU, Abilene High School and Cooper High School, HSU and Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing are honored at all schools. Parking regulations will differ on each campus. Students are therefore advised to check with campus police to clarify issues regarding parking & vehicle regulations on each campus.

General

• Traffic and parking regulations are enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Ownership or a registration decal does not guarantee a parking space, nor does the absence of a parking space justify violation of any regulation.
• Each University Police Officer and Safety Officer has the authority to use citations for violations, to direct traffic as necessary, and to place special regulatory signs and barriers in required locations for emergency situations or special events. Other University personnel may also be designated to enforce traffic and parking regulations.
• Washing or repairing privately owned motor vehicles on University property is prohibited.
• The University reserves the right to inspect the contents of any vehicle situated on University property at any time.

Vehicle Operation

• The speed limit on all University property is 15 mph.
• All traffic control signs and devices must be obeyed.
• Use of a wireless device (e.g., cellphone) is prohibited while operating a motor vehicle on campus roadways.

Parking

The University enforces all city and state statutes 24 hours a day. Such areas as no parking zones, restricted parking areas, or reserved parking areas are painted yellow, and general parking is not allowed.

Exceptions: Areas generically marked as Faculty, Staff, Visitors, Commuter/Visitor, and Residence Hall Parking, may be used by anyone with a valid decal during non-business hours of 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and anytime over the weekend.

• If angle parking has not been provided, vehicles must be parked parallel on the right side of the street or roadway.
• If a vehicle is parked parallel, it cannot face traffic. The right wheels must be adjacent to the right curb.
• Vehicles parked in angled, lined, or parallel parking spaces must be parked within the lines.
• Handicapped parking areas are reserved for those persons who have been issued by the state, county, or federal authority a handicapped parking permit. Such permits must be properly displayed in vehicles, and use of these spaces by any other vehicle for any reason is expressly forbidden. Those who may qualify for temporary handicapped space may contact the Chief of Police or designee for consideration.

Attention: Federal A.D.A. laws require all private property owners and authorities to impose zero-tolerance regarding handicapped parking spaces and fire zones. No excuse will be accepted, and citations issued in these spaces are Justice of the Peace traffic citations and not subject to dismissal.  The Justice of the Peace traffic citations must be addressed at the County Municipal Court.

In addition to the regulations explained in this section, campus police may require that holders of handicapped permits issued by state, county, or federal agencies report to campus police to furnish verification that such permit was issued to the operator of the vehicle.  Per Texas State Statute, the individual to whom the Handicap Placard was issued MUST be in the vehicle when it is being parked for the placard to be used for parking in restricted/designated areas.

If a permit was issued to another person (mother, grandparent, etc.) then the holder must understand that using a handicapped space is not authorized unless such person is an occupant in the vehicle.

Penalties

A schedule of charges and fines is on the back of the issued citations. Fines may be paid online in your HSU Central account or in person at the HSU Cashier’s Office in the Sandefer Building (Monday–Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., excluding University holidays).

Students are responsible for any citation issued to their vehicle. Fines not paid by the violator (or a request for an appeal filed) within TEN (10) working/business days of the date of issuance of the citation shall automatically be charged to the registered student’s account, or in the case of an unregistered vehicle, the operator or registered owner of the vehicle shall be responsible for the violation and all fines that may be charged for the violation.

Towing

In addition to the citation and fine system for traffic and parking violations, the following conditions could result in a vehicle being towed off campus at the owner’s expense:

• Four or more citations within a semester or summer period.
• Blocking a handicapped space, fire lane, roadway, alley, building exit or entrance.
• Parking in an area designated as a tow-away zone.
• Vehicles banned from campus by appropriated authority as a result of disciplinary action.

Appeals

University Citations

Appeals must be submitted via an email to the HSUPD (hsupolice@hsutx.edu) within 10 (Ten) business days of receiving the ticket. The written appeal must specify grounds that would justify consideration.

• General dissatisfaction with the policy or an appeal for mercy is not an appropriate basis for an appeal.
• Not agreeing with a valid parking regulation, being late to class, bad weather, not being able to find a parking space, or only parking in violation for a short period of time are NOT grounds for an appeal.

Appeals will be reviewed by the HSUPD Chief or their designee who will make a ruling on the appeal based on the information available. If the violation is overturned on appeal, the citation will be voided. Individuals whose appeal is denied by the Chief or their designee, may request further appeal to the and Dean of Students. Results of the appeal will be sent via one or more of the following methods: campus mail, U.S. mail, or e-mail.

If the citation is upheld on appeal, the violator will be expected to submit appropriate payment of the fine.

Contact HSUPD via email at hsupolice@hsutx.edu  for questions or obtain additional information regarding traffic and parking policies.

City / JP Citations

Municipal or Justice of the Peace Citations issued will have the directions regarding appeals on those respective citations.