Policies & Procedures for Employees - Southwestern Community College, Sylva, NC

General Provisions

Under the provision of North Carolina Statute §115D-21, the following Traffic Code shall be enforced at Southwestern Community College.

ARTICLE I
All of the provisions of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes relating to the use of highways of the State of North Carolina in the operation of motor vehicles thereon shall apply to the streets, roads, alleys and driveways of the campus of Southwestern Community College along with all other rules and regulations approved by the Board of Trustees as follows:

ARTICLE II
These rules and regulations shall apply on a 24 hour basis to operators of all vehicles, public or private while operating a vehicle on the campus of Southwestern Community College.

ARTICLE III
The operator of any vehicle on the campus of Southwestern Community College shall comply with the legal instructions of any Campus Resource Officer and all traffic signs in accordance with the provision of these regulations. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FINDING A LEGAL PARKING SPACE RESTS WITH THE MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATOR. LACK OF SPACE IS NOT CONSIDERED EXCUSE FOR VIOLATION OF PARKING REGULATIONS. The college shall be responsible for ensuring that the necessary signs are erected and maintained to carry out the intent of these regulations.

ARTICLE IV
The college shall ensure that information about operating a motor vehicle on Southwestern Community College's campus is given out at every student orientation and registration. Each student shall have any opportunity to obtain a copy of the Traffic Code. A copy of the Traffic Code shall be included in all Student Handbooks. Failure to obtain such a copy is not, however, an excuse for violation of the Traffic Code.

ARTICLE V
All vehicles to be operated on campus should be properly registered and display a parking decal on the rear of the vehicle. (The right rear bumper is the preferred location.) Students, faculty, and staff are expected to register their vehicles. Parking decals are obtained normally during registration, but may be secured from the Business Office at other times.

Specific Provisions

ARTICLE VI

Citations will be issued for violations of the Southwestern Community College Traffic Code.

The person to whom a vehicle parking decal is issued, shall be responsible for all parking and traffic violations of the vehicle for which the permit is issued. (Temporary parking permits can be obtained at any administrative office of the College). Bicycles, motorcycles and mopeds shall be considered vehicles subject to this same traffic code.

Campus Resource Officers shall have the authority to issue citations for all moving vehicle violations and handicapped parking violations as outlined in Article VII. N.C.G.S. §115D-21.1. Such moving violations include, but are not limited to:

1.	Reckless driving.
2.	Driving in excess of posted speed limits.
3.	Failure to obey traffic signs.
4.	Failure to obey directions of Campus Resource Officers.
5.	Failure to yield right of way at pedestrian crossings.
6.	Following too closely.
7.	Driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.
8.	Failure to yield right of way to emergency vehicles.
9.	Operating a vehicle in any manner that creates a safety hazard.

Campus Resource Officers and full-time SCC employees shall have the authority to enforce all parking violations except that only Campus Resource Officers shall have the authority to issue citations for handicapped parking violations. Such parking violations include, but are not limited to:

1.	Parking in a restricted parking lot or zone.
2.	Parking on grass (unless signs indicate this is permissible).
3.	Blocking any legally parked vehicle.
4.	Parking in a no parking zone.
5.	Parking in a "visitor" zone.
6.	Affixing a parking decal/permit to a vehicle other than that for which it was issued.
7.	Parking against traffic flow.
8.	Blocking or obstructing traffic, street, crosswalk, sidewalk, fire hydrant, building entrance or exit, or another vehicle properly parked.
9.	Protruding into a lane of traffic.
10.	Double parking.
11.	Parking on shoulder of road (except where parking is indicated by official signs).
12.	Failure of two-wheeled vehicles to park in areas designated for them.
13.	Parking a vehicle in any manner that creates a safety hazard.
14.	Leaving a vehicle on campus overnight without notifying a Campus Resource Officer.

ARTICLE VII

The following system of citations shall be used:

a.	Campus Resource Officers have the authority to issue citations for all moving vehicle violations and handicapped parking violations.
b.	A fine shall be imposed for each moving or handicap parking violation to the extent allowed by law - N.C.G.S. §115D-21; §20-37.6(f)(1).
c.	The Campus Resource Officer issuing the citation will advise the violator of the scheduled court date and procedure for payment of the fine.

ARTICLE VIII

For all parking violations, except for handicapped parking violations, the following rules shall apply:

a.	A first violation shall result in a written warning placed on the vehicle with a follow-up letter from the Vice President for Administrative Services mailed to the vehicle's owner. This written warning and letter shall state the reason cited for the parking violation and consequences of future violations.
b.	A second violation can result in vehicle immobilization and restricted parking to Lot A for the remainder of the semester. A written notice will be placed on the vehicle instructing the vehicle's operator not to move the vehicle and the College shall not be responsible for any damage should the vehicle be moved. The vehicle's operator should go to the Business Office to have the immobilization device removed.
c.	A third violation can result in the vehicle's towing and loss of parking privileges on campus for the remainder of the academic year.
d.	During the first two (2) class days of each semester, warning tickets shall be issued for improper parking. Beginning with the third class day, the rules outlined herein shall be enforced. Students in classes that start mid-semester shall have the same two day grace period, but will have to file an appeal of any ticket received.
e.	All of those provisions detailed in North Carolina General Statutes §115D-20, 21 are in full force.
f.	Faculty and staff shall be subject to disciplinary policies and procedures found in 4.20 and 4.21.1 - Disciplinary Action, Suspension and Dismissal.
g.	All vehicles blocking a drive, obstructing the flow of traffic, creating a safety hazard, parked in a fire lane, loading zone, or designated tow-away zone are subject to tow-away or immobilization by a restraining device at the full expense of the owner per authority given to the Board of Trustees in Chapter 115D of the North Carolina General Statutes.

Appeal Process

ARTICLE IX
Individuals receiving a notice of parking violations or penalties, excluding handicapped parking, resulting from alleged violations of this policy may do any of the following:

a.	Adhere to the parking violation penalty, or
b.	Appeal in person or in writing to the Vice President for Administrative Services within ten calendar days of the notice of violation or penalty. The decision of the Vice President for Administrative Services will be final.