Registration and Operation of Motor Vehicles on Campus

The use of a motor vehicle on campus property is a privilege available to all students and employees. The College reserves the right to suspend such privileges if it believes such action is justified. Parking and traffic rules, regulations, and restrictions are necessary for the safety and convenience of each person in the College community. Campus authorities may search vehicles and their contents if there is a reason to believe that a search would result in evidence of a violation of college rules. Owners/operators must provide access to a vehicle when required by proper authority. Traffic and parking regulations are enforced 24 hours a day, unless otherwise stated.

The following instructions contain basic procedures for the guidance of all persons who operate a motor vehicle on the SCC (Spartanburg Community College) campus:

Vehicle Operation

SCC has a campus-wide speed limit of 15 MPH. Drivers operating a motor vehicle at speeds over 15 MPH may be ticketed for speeding or charged with reckless driving as a disciplinary offense. Drivers are expected to operate a vehicle appropriately commensurate with the weather and road conditions and to obey all state traffic signs and traffic laws.

No person should ride outside the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle on campus (i.e., in the back of pickup trucks, on fenders, hoods, etc.). Drivers and passengers in violation may be charged with reckless activity as a discipline offense.

The driver of any vehicle on campus property shall obey all lawful instructions of any Campus Police Officer and/or any official traffic sign (unless otherwise directed by an officer). Drivers are required to stop their vehicle upon request or signal by any Campus Police Officer. Drivers who fail to stop when signaled may be ticketed and charged with failure to comply with instructions of a college official as a disciplinary offense.

Parking

The definition of “park” for the College is the standing of a vehicle, regardless of the amount of time and whether occupied or not.

The College provides parking spaces for students and visitors but does not assign any individual parking spaces for students or employees. At times, students may have to walk several hundred yards from a parking space to a building, and students should consider this and allow plenty of time to get to class upon arrival on campus.

All parking spaces are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Students are required to park in the appropriate designated student parking spaces.

Parking/traffic citations will be issued when Campus Police determine if necessary. It is at the Campus Police Officer’s discretion if a warning or a citation will be issued. If a vehicle parks in violation of the rules and regulations and does not receive a citation, it does not constitute that the rules and regulations are no longer in effect.

Parking exceptions may be made due to special events prearranged by the College for college business. Campus Police reserves the right to have any student, employee, or visitor relocate their vehicle for any reason. Failure to comply with such requests can result in a citation and/or tow at the owner’s/operator’s expense.

Parking/driving on grass and parking on any sidewalk, except for authorized personnel, is strictly prohibited.

Motor vehicles, boats, and trailers may not be stored on campus property. Vehicles parked on campus property without the College’s permission or abandoned vehicles parked on campus property for longer than 72 hours will be towed at the owner’s/operator’s expense.

Vehicles blocking traffic on campus, parked where it impedes the operation of emergency services and equipment, or those in violation of campus traffic regulations may be towed from campus at the owner’s/operator’s expense.

If your vehicle breaks down and is parked in violation of the rules and regulations, immediately notify Campus Police. Reasonable efforts should be made to move the vehicle from its position so that it is no longer in violation of the rules and regulations, which may include having the vehicle towed at the owner’s/operator’s expense.

Please check with the Campus Police if you are unsure about any parking areas or issues. Campus Police and Security is available 24/7.

Designated Parking Areas

Designated parking areas are observable by coloring and/or lettering displayed in the parking space. Additional markers, such as parking signs or painted lines on the pavement/curb, might also be displayed.

• White - Students and Visitors
• Blue - Handicap/Campus Safety
• Green Lines - Faculty and Staff/No Student Parking
• Yellow Curb - Reserved for Vendors & Maintenance Vehicle

Restricted Parking Areas

Students may park only in marked spaces that are not restricted and within the parking space lines. Violators will receive parking citations and the vehicle may be towed at the operator’s/owner’s expense. The following areas are considered restricted parking:

• Handicap parking spaces (to be utilized by handicapped individuals only)
• Campus Police parking space
• Faculty and Staff parking spaces
• Any curb or space painted red (Fire Lane), yellow (Reserved)
• In front of any dumpster or fire hydrant
• Lawns and other grassy areas
• Any sidewalk
• Any location not specifically marked for parking to include curbing

The absence of a “No Parking” sign or a yellow/red painted curb does not indicate parking is automatically permitted.

Vendor vehicles, with prior authorization from a college official and Vendor Parking Pass, may temporarily park in yellow painted curb areas.

Campus Police will at times close off certain parking areas or individual parking spaces. These temporarily restricted areas will be marked with orange traffic cones or traffic barriers. No person is authorized to move these traffic cones/barriers, including to park in a blocked parking space or drive through an area already blocked off. Moving any traffic cone/barrier will result in a citation.

Vehicle Registration for Students

All motor vehicles, including motorcycles, used on campus must be registered with Campus Police. You must register your vehicle within the first two weeks of your first semester. Decals to registered vehicles will not be transferred over each academic year. Any changes to a vehicle’s registration (such as a new license plate) needs to be shared with Campus Police as soon as possible. Registration can benefit students by helping Campus Police locate owners of vehicles when necessary and towing when possible.

Parking decals will be issued as proof of registration. By accepting a parking decal, any student acknowledges and agrees to abide by all traffic and parking rules and regulations. Students also agree to be financially responsible for any citations issued to the registered vehicle. If you trade vehicles, you should notify Campus Police to register and receive a replacement at no cost. You are responsible for keeping the parking decal in maintainable condition. Parking decals may not be altered in any way.

Students are prohibited from having two or more decals registered to one vehicle. Vehicles which are not properly registered may result in the loss of privileges to use a motor vehicle on campus for the academic year. All decals are to be positioned on the outside of the rear windshield on the lower left hand corner of the registered vehicle, or the rear bumper if no rear windshield is available on the vehicle.

Temporary Parking Passes

Temporary parking passes may be issued through Campus Police and are available to visitors, vendors, students, faculty, and staff. Students, faculty, and staff driving a vehicle different to what is already registered with Campus Police must have a temporary parking pass. The temporary parking pass must be displayed on the front driver side dashboard face up and clearly visible and unobstructed.

Students, Faculty, and Staff with a new vehicle that does not have a state issued license plate will need to obtain a temporary parking pass. When a state license plate is issued to the new vehicle, the vehicle’s registration will need to be brought to the Campus Police Office so a parking decal can be issued.

Temporary parking passes are available 24/7 through Campus Police and are free of charge.

Vendor Parking Passes

Vendor parking passes will be available at the Campus Police Department. The passes must be placed on the front dashboard of any vendor-owned vehicle.

Violations and Fines

A cited vehicle’s operator and/or vehicle’s registrants will be held accountable for any violation of traffic and parking rules and regulations. Fines should be paid at the Campus Police Office within 10 days. Failure to pay any fine after 10 days will result in each fine incurring a $10 increase. Outstanding fines will be placed on the student’s College account. Students with outstanding fines will not be able to register for the next academic semester, and transcripts will not be released until the fine is paid in full.

Appeals for traffic and parking citations must be made within 10 days of receiving the violation and are to be submitted to the Chief of Campus Police.

Vehicle violations and incidents of a person receiving five or more citations in a single semester will be handled as a discipline violation.

NOTE: For the first offense for expired or no campus registration (parking decal), a written warning will be issued. The second offense will consist of a written citation with a fine. All fines must be paid at the Campus Police Department located on the Giles Campus.

The College reserves the right to revoke any driving or parking privileges on campus property for any student or employee, regardless of any fines that have already been paid.

Tow Service

All vehicles towed by the College will be handled by a local insured towing company. If a tow service has been contacted to impound a vehicle, the owner/operator will still have to pay the tow fee regardless of the owner/operator arrives on scene prior to the towing company arriving/loading the vehicle. The owner/operator is responsible for any costs related to the tow and storage and for any damages incurred from the tow. The College has no control over the tow company’s actions and is not responsible for any of the risks involved with the tow company’s activities.

Appeals

Any student receiving a citation for a violation of traffic and parking rules and regulations has the right to appeal to show that the citation was issued 1) in error or 2) without just cause. Any appeal is considered forfeit if made after 10 days from when the citation was issued. The appeal process is handled by the Chief of Campus Police. If the Chief of Campus Police issued the citation or a student wishes to appeal the Chief’s decision, they may appeal to the Dean of Student Engagement.

If any appeal is filed within the 10 days from when the citation was issued, the Chief of Campus Police or Dean of Student Engagement (should the issues described in the previous paragraph exist) will review the citation and issue a ruling within 5 days. The Police Chief or Dean of Student Engagement may rule 1) in favor of the appeal and erase the violation and return the amount of the fine if it was already paid or 2) reject the appeal and uphold the citation. If the appeal is rejected and the violation still has not been paid, the student will have 3 days to pay the fine. Failure to pay any fine after 3 days will result in each fine incurring a $10 increase.

Parking on Public Roadways

Cars parked on the state roadways adjacent to the campus are subject to be ticketed by the Highway Patrol. The College has no control over state action in this area, so please do not park on state property adjacent to college property.

Security of Parked Cars

Although the parking areas are patrolled by Campus Police and Security, complete security of property cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, do not leave cars unlocked and do not leave valuables inside the car. Ornate wheels and wheel covers, expensive stereo systems, purses, wallets and other items of value left in plain view are prime targets for thieves. The College assumes no responsibility for loss or damage to automobiles or contents of automobiles while parked on college property.

Motorcycles and Mopeds

Motorcycles and mopeds must be registered and must be legally parked in marked spaces as with other motor vehicles. Campus Police may approve additional areas for motorcycles and mopeds, so check with the Campus Police Office if you operate a motorcycle or moped on campus. Motorcycles and mopeds are considered street transportation and for traffic violation purposes will be considered the same as a passenger car. A Campus Police Officer will assist in determining the proper placement for the decal.

Motorcycles and mopeds are not to be driven on or parked on any sidewalks.

Other Motor Vehicles

The use of a motor vehicle other than a car, SUV, truck, motorcycle, moped, or bus (including ATVs, UTVs, tractors, golf carts, etc.) on campus property without the College’s permission is prohibited. Any approved alternative motor vehicle must abide by the same traffic and parking rules and regulations. This does not include motor vehicles owned by the College conducting college business.

Bicycles

Bicycles need not be registered. However, they must not be stored in the public areas of campus buildings. It is advised that you also obtain a bicycle lock to secure it in place whenever you are away from your bicycle. The College assumes no responsibility for loss or damage to a bicycle or its contents while on college property.

For information regarding this, please contact Campus Police (864) 592-4911.