By Maddie Conley, Online Editor
As students arrive on campus and lots fill up, car registration is becoming even more important.
The Department of Safety will begin attaching wheel lock clamps, or boots, to
“It’s becoming a growing issue on campus,” Shafer said.
The main problems she pointed out were that students are not registering their cars through the Falcon Exchange and parking in student lots, employee lots or handicapped parking spaces.
She said that while there is a small percentage of students who do break the rules, this won’t affect roughly 92 percent of students
If you do find your car with a boot, Shafer said that you will need to go to the Department of Safety to pay $50 for the removal. This is in addition to the fines already due from the former tickets. If you do not pay to have the boot removed within three days, you are at risk of being towed.
To provide clarification, Shafer explained how parking citations do transfer over semesters, but not academic years.
“It’s a really walk-able campus,” added Dean of Students Kevin Villegas. “If you do right everything will be alright.”
Shafer also mentioned that if a student is booted twice, they will need to come to a student review board hearing with Associate Dean of Students Doug Wood. This could lead to students facing disciplinary actions or community service hours.
According to Chair of the Student Review Board Matt Jenkins, there has been an issue with students breaking parking rules. He believes this is an important step in counteracting that culture.
For those who need parking accommodations due to injury, Shafer encourages students to reach out to the Department of Safety.
Reactions to the announcement are mixed. For many, it came as a shock; for others, a necessary action that needed to happen.
“I think it’s fantastic,” said student Zoë Smith. “I personally have always had an overpowering sense of justice. I think it’s a great idea for people to actually follow the rules.”
To encourage following the rules, Shafer mentioned they are considering rewarding selected students with coffee or food coupons placed on cars parked according to regulation.
However, some students were less positive about the change.
“I’m glad they found a way to enforce it but it may be a little excessive,” said junior Yabets Assefa, who admittedly has received tickets in the past.
Shafer emphasized that this is about changing a culture and getting people to register their cars.
“They [the Department of Safety] would prefer not to be writing tickets,” Shafer said. “We want you to park legally so you don’t get the yellow boot.”