College Policy Number/Title:

• 63.09     Ethics and Conduct

Parking and traffic control procedures are designed to promote pedestrian and vehicular safety on campus and to ensure access at all times for emergency vehicles. All students and full- and part-time employees are required to display a current plastic hang-tag parking permit.  This permit is to be visibly displayed through the front windshield. The security office will issue the parking pass once the vehicle information and photo identification are produced by a student or employee.  Temporary employees and students working 18 hours a week or more on campus for the college must display a current, validated hangtag issued by the security office, which allows parking in staff lots.  Reserved parking area permits will be issued by the president's office.  Handicapped spaces may be used only by persons with special license plates or permits. Complete parking and traffic regulations are available in the security office.

General

All vehicle operators are subject to Howard Community College’s vehicle and traffic regulations while on campus. Any vehicle found to be in violation of the existing regulations is subject to receiving an HCC citation and possible removal at the owner’s or operator’s expense.

1. Howard Community College assumes no responsibility for damage to or loss of vehicles and/or private property while on campus.
2. Pedestrians must be given the right of way at all times.
3. Vehicle speed and manner of operations should be conducive to safe operation with consideration of weather and road conditions and pedestrian traffic. Maximum speed is 20 miles per hour.
4. All traffic signs must be obeyed at all times.  

Parking

Parking is defined as stationing a vehicle, with or without a driver in attendance, and irrespective of time of day or length of time the vehicle is stationed.

1. The responsibility of finding a legal parking space rests with the motor vehicle operator. It is impossible to mark with signs or paint curbs in all areas of the college where parking is prohibited. Parking is therefore limited to designated parking areas only. Lack of space is not considered a valid excuse for violation of these regulations.
2. The fact that an operator parks a vehicle in violation of any regulation without receiving a citation does not mean that the applicable regulation is no longer in effect.
3. Parking regulations are in effect 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
4. Vehicles may park only in the areas to which they are assigned and must display the appropriate hang-tag permit or dashboard temporary pass indicating authorization.
5. Vehicles must park in such a manner as to use only one parking space.
6. Vehicle operators should notify the security office if they need to leave their vehicle in the college’s parking lot overnight. However, the college cannot be responsible for theft of or damage to the vehicle or to the contents of the vehicle.  

Towing of Vehicles

Vehicles parked in the parking lots after 1:00a.m. or parked in fire zones, will be subject to towing at the owner's expense unless the person has contacted security for prior authorization.  Howard Community College will do the following:

1. The security office will notify the duty officer of the Howard County police department by telephone (410-313-3700) before towing the vehicle.
2. Within 10 days of the vehicle being towed, the security office will attempt to determine the owner and send a certified letter to the owner indicating when and where the vehicle was towed. To determine the owner, the security office will first check the college’s student records. If the owner is still undetermined, the security office will attempt to determine the owner through the Maryland Department of Motor Vehicles.
3. The security office will keep on file a record of all vehicles towed, which includes the date towed and the location where towed.  

Towed vehicles will not be released until all penalties owed the college are paid.

Citations

Each citation carries a fine of $50. Failure to pay violations may result in the vehicle being towed, and in students not receiving grades and transcripts and losing college privileges. If the violator is a college employee, the employee will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

Appeals

Persons who feel they have received a traffic citation unjustly may appeal in writing to HCC’s director of security.

Payment

Fines must be paid to the college’s cashier's office.

Reserving Parking Spaces

• Events where spaces will be held for larger groups must be approved by president's team.  The requestor should ask their area vice president to take the event reserved parking request to president's team for approval.
• Once president's team approves the request, the vice president or designee will notify the requestor.
• Requests for reserved spaces in parking lot E need to be routed through the president's office.

Bicycles/Skateboards

Bicycle racks are placed in various locations throughout the campus and are to be used by all non-licensed two-wheel vehicles. Students will not be permitted to bring bicycles into buildings or secure them to lampposts, signposts or fences under any circumstances. Staff will be required to disassemble the front wheel of the bicycle and may secure it in their office.  Under no circumstances shall bikes be left in the hallway or stairwells.  Violators will be subject to confiscation of vehicles and a fine of $50.

Skateboards, skateboarding, rollerblading, and similar activities are not permitted on campus.

Effective Date:  5/13/11