Parking and Traffic Regulations
Student Vehicle Registration Form for parking decal
Overview of Regulations
Pursuant to the provisions of the Texas Education Code, Hardin- Simmons University has promulgated these regulations to the operation and parking of vehicles on the grounds, streets, drives, alleys, and other institutional property of Hardin-Simmons University. These regulations are to ensure the safety of all persons who use the campus and provide for optimum use of limited parking facilities. The regulations apply on all parts of the campus throughout the day and night and are supplementary to all existing federal, state, and city laws pertaining to our University.
All students, faculty, and staff must comply with the regulations governing motor vehicles and bicycles set forth by the University. Such 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 and bicycles 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 or bicycle 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 or bicycle 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 guests and other individuals visiting the campus on University business attending public functions, visiting the University library, attending sporting events, etc. Faculty, staff, students, their family members and friends, or other students who use a vehicle that has not been registered at HSU are not considered visitors. Other complimentary faculty, staff or students regularly assigned to work at HSU are not 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
- Parking decals must be properly displayed. Place parking decal on the rear window bottom left side (driver’s side) affixed to the outside of the window. Taping the decal on the inside of the vehicle rear window is not allowed. Do not alter the parking decal.
- All parking decals are numbered and color coded for parking restrictions. 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 map with the color tan. 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, and Dyess Welcome Center 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) receive a gold hanging decal and may park in any parking spaces marked “commuter”, “com/vis”, where signs indicate gold decals, or any of the open parking lots listed above.
- Adjunct decals: Grad students, from all Universities, will receive a Commuter hanging 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.
- Motorcycle and bicycle decals are required. Bicycles will be identified by the serial number located on the underside of the bike between the pedals. Bicycles are required to be parked in the bicycle racks provided. Motorcycles may park in commuter spaces and spaces marked “Motorcycle”.
- The first hanging decal and first bicycle decal are free to all students. Any additional decal will be at the cost of $5.00 each.
- 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.
- Students, faculty, and staff must display their parking decal from the rear window of their vehicle in the bottom left corner (driver’s side) affixed to the outside of the window.
- 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.
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 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 contents of any vehicle situated on University property at any time.
- The University designates limited areas and times for the use of skateboards, scooters, roller skates, rollerblades or other similar wheeled devices. Use is not allowed in university buildings or on sidewalks and the city of Abilene prevents using them on streets. Use is allowed and encouraged as part of programs and events. Any student wishing to host a program should speak to the Dean of Students or the Student Activities Team.
Vehicle Operation
- The speed limit on all University property is 15 mph.
- All traffic control signs and devices must be obeyed.
Parking
The University enforces all city and state statutes. Such areas as no parking zones, restricted parking areas, or reserved parking areas are painted yellow, and general parking is not allowed.
Exceptions: Areas specifically marked “Faculty,” “Staff,” and/or “Visitors” may be used by anyone between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. However, citations will be issued in these zones between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- If angle parking has not been provided, vehicles must be parked parallel on the right side of the street or roadway.
- 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 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 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 number five of 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. If permit was issued to another person (mother, grandparent, etc.) then holder must understand that using a handicapped space is not authorized unless such person is an occupant in the vehicle.
Students from HSU, McMurry, Cisco, Patty Hanks School of Nursing, Abilene & Cooper High School or ACU receiving citations must satisfy those citations on the campus where the citation was issued.
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:
- Five 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.
A schedule of charges and fines is on the back of the issued citations. If a citation is not appealed within 5 days, the citation will be posted to the student’s account.
Appeals
Persons receiving a citation which they believe is unjust may:
- Appeal to the Chief of Police for reconsideration.
- If verbal reconsideration is denied, a traffic appeal form may be filled out and submitted to the Dean of Students who will call a meeting of the Student Traffic Committee to consider the case.
The Student Traffic Committee is composed of five members. The Chairman, two members chosen by the Dean of Students, and two members chosen by the student body President. The committee serves as an advisory board to the Chief of Police and functions as the traffic court for student appeals.
