The following regulations apply to all visitors, students, faculty, staff and others who operate motor vehicles on the campus of Meharry Medical College. We solicit your cooperation in adhering to these regulations for the orderly movement of traffic, parking convenience, and safety of the entire college community.
A. Registration of Vehicles
(1) Any motor vehicle operated on campus by faculty, staff, or students must be registered and displaying a registration decal obtained from the Department of Public Safety and Security. Visitors must obtain a visitors permit from the Department of Public Safety and Security.
(2) Vehicle registration for faculty and staff must be obtained within three days of employment. Studen vehicle registration must be completed no later than the last day of the official registration period.
(3) Expiration date on decals for all students and tenants living in campus housing is August 31 of each year. There is no expiration date on the faculty and staff decals, however, the Department of Public Safety and Security reserves the right to cancel decals, if deemed necessary.
(4) Decal is to be affixed to windshield and displayed on the driver’s side at the bottom left corner.
(5) Remove expired decal each year.
(6) Vehicle owners must present the following at registration of vehicle:
a. Proof of insurance
b. Proof of ownership (on each car to be registered)
c. Driver’s license
d. College ID or stamped registration for students.
(7) No student or staff member will be allowed to register another person’s vehicle.
(8) Report ownership changes; mutilated or defaced decals are to be turned into the Department of Public Safety and Security.
(9) Registration fees will be announced at the beginning of each academic year.
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B. Decal Replacement Fee or Second Decal
(1) There will be a charge of $2.00 for any replacement/second decal.
(2) Persons wishing to cancel parking assignments or exchange vehicles, remove decal from windshield and return it to the Department of Public Safety and Security.
(3) Upon termination of employment with the college, parking decals should be turned in to the Department of Public Safety and Security.
(4) Reimbursement may be requested of persons on extended leave. Upon request for reimbursement, please remove the decal and return it to the Department of Public Safety and Security.
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C. General Regulations
(1) All local and state rules and regulations, directional signs and signals governing the use of motor vehicles shall be observed at all times.
(2) The speed limit on campus is 15mph.
(3) All vehicles must come to a complete stop at intersections where a stop sign is located.
(4) Motorists must give pedestrians the right of way at designated crosswalks.
(5) Unnecessary noise from horns and mufflers is prohibited.
(6) Loading zones and service zones are reserved exclusively for service vehicles.
(7) Motor vehicles must be parked within the marked spaces where provided; not on the lines or curbs.
(8) Possession and display of a decal to which one is not entitled is a violation.
(9) Transferring a decal from one car to another is prohibited.
(10) Only registrants of vehicles will be responsible for violations pertaining to the car, regardless of who is operating it, and for removing the decal when the vehicle is sold or otherwise disposed of or transferred.
(11) Immobilized vehicles will not be left on the campus beyond seven days. Vehicles left on campus beyond the established time will be towed away at owner’s expense.
(12) Backing into parking spaces is prohibited.
(13) Any vehicle in violation of the college parking regulations is subject to towing. If towed, a vehicle can be located by contacting the Department of Public Safety and Security at 327-6254, and can be reclaimed after the towing cost has been paid.
(14) The MMC policy to boot a vehicle occurs after three citations of a vehicle where the owner/driver cannot be identified or has been identified as a vehicle owned or driven by a person who is not a student or employee at the college. Chronic violators with a MMC decal are subject to be booted, also. Each citation following also receives a boot. A large warning sticker will be placed on the driver’s side window as a notice of the boot and with directions to contact the Department of Public Safety and Security. The boot fee plus the cost of the original citation and any previous citations that are outstanding must be paid prior to the vehicle boot being removed. Towing fees are paid directly to the towing company.
(Boot – is an immobilizing device that is attached to the wheel of unregistered, unauthorized parking and chronic violations on the Meharry campus. These devices are generally used Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except on official holidays.)
(15) If a person is coming on campus to pick up or service your vehicle, call the Department of Public Safety and Security and give your name and the person or company’s name that is rendering the service.
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D. Penalties and Fines
(1) The revocation of a parking permit and/or disciplinary action recommended is warranted for the following: using a permit not properly issued; transferring or allowing a permit to be transferred to another vehicle.
(2) The Department of Public of Safety and Security is open twenty-four, seven days a week for information concerning tickets and fines.
(3) Vehicles improperly parked may be subject to towing at any time.
(4) Vehicles illegally parked in loading zone spaces will be ticketed and towed.
(5) Vehicles illegally parked in reserved spaces will be ticketed and towed
(6) Vehicles illegally parked in fire lanes will be ticketed and towed
(7) Violations may be appealed to the Director of Public Safety and Security or his designee within five (5) business days.
(8) In addition to the imposition of penalties and charges hereby established, the Department of Public Safety and Security may refer any violator of these regulations/policies to the appropriate administrative official for additional action.
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E. Enforcement Hours
Parking restrictions are in effect twenty four hours per day, seven days per week.
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F. Pedestrians
(1) Cross the street at crosswalks only.
(2) Do not stand in the street and talk to vehicle operators.
(3) Pedestrians have the right of way at all crosswalks.
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G. Traffic and Parking Violations
Traffic violations warranting a ticket/boot/tow include, but are not limited to:
(1) Speeding on Campus Property
(2) Vehicle not registered
(3) Parked outside permitted areas
(4) Parking in Emergency or Ambulance areas
(5) Parked in crosswalk
(6) Blocking driveway/access
(7) Failure to stop at stop sign on Campus Property
(8) Reckless driving on Campus Property
(9) Illegal use of permit
(10) Permit not displayed, or properly displayed
(11) Disregarding NO PARKING sign
(12) Parked in Fire Lane
(13) Blocking Drive, Walkways and Doors
(14) Unauthorized parking in Handicap Space
(15) Unauthorized parking in Loading Zone
(16) Parking on grass
(17) Parking at a yellow curb
(18) Obstructing Vehicular Traffic
(19) Parking over or beyond curb
(20) Parking in a space or area not clearly designated for parking
(21) Parking in area in which permit does not apply
(22) Parking vehicle that occupies more than one designated parking space
(23) Parking overtime in a space with limited time permit
(24) Back in Parking
(25) Double Parking
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H. Parking Fine Collection
All parking fines are due 14 days after the violation date and are payable at the Meharry Finance Office (located on the 5th floor of the LRC Building) or the Department of Public Safety and Security (DPSS). Credit cards cannot be accepted at the DPSS Office.
Parking fines that are not paid on or before midnight on the 14th day will be overdue and the fine will be increased by 50 % on the 15th day after the ticket date.
| Example: |
$10.00 Original Fine
$ 5.00 (50 % penalty of the original fine)
$15.00 Amount due after 14th day, but before the 31st day |
Parking fines that are 30 days over due will double (the original ticket fine plus 50 %) on the 31st day after the ticket date.
| Example: |
$10.00 Original Fine
$ 5.00 (50 % penalty of the original fine)
$15.00 Amount due after 14th day, but before the 31st day
x 2 Double on the 31st day after the ticket date
$ 30.00 Amount due on the 31st date from the ticket date |
Parking fines issued to students which are unpaid before or on the 30th day will have a “hold” placed on their student account until the fines are paid in full. Unpaid parking fines will prevent the issuing of new decals on the decal’s expiration dates. Unpaid parking fines will restrict students from receiving grades, registering for classes, etc. Additionally, Unpaid parking fines by students may result in disciplinary action if the parking rules/policies continue to be ignored after the third violation.
Any vehicle ticketed for a third violation with two outstanding tickets that have not been paid or settled, will be ticketed and towed and will not be released until the full debt has been paid or settled by the Director of Public Safety and Security.
Fines issued to employees will be deducted from the employee’s paycheck following the 31st day of the ticket date. Unpaid parking fines by employees may also result in disciplinary action if the parking rules/policies continue to be ignored after the third violation.
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Appeals
Any student, faculty or staff member cited for a parking violation is provided an opportunity to appeal the citation by submitting a written explanation (using the Parking Ticket Appeal form (A-Online, or the hard copy version-B,) of the circumstances surrounding the issuance of the citation. All appeals forms are required to be submitted to the Director of Public Safety and Security within five (5) business days following the issuance of the citation. If desired, appeal forms (B) may be obtained from the DPSS Office; the Security Desks in the lobby of the West Basic Science Building or the LRC Building, or the online version may be used. The appeal must contain a copy of the citation in question, if using the hard copy version.
Appeals submitted after the five (5) business day limit will not be considered (NO EXCEPTIONS). If an appeal is filed within the limit, the overdue start date of the citation will not begin until the appeal has been decided.
The Director of the DPSS will appoint a five member board to hear or review all appeals and make a recommendation to the Director. The Director is not bound by the recommendation of the board. The board will consist of two students; one MMC staff employee, one MMC faculty member, one DPSS employee and the chairperson will be the Director of Public Safety and Security. The board will review all parking citation appeals on the fourth Wednesday of each month (9am in the Office of the Department of Public Safety and Security). A decision will be reached on the merits of the submitted written appeal. The appellant is not required to be present but may elect to make a presentation during the review, before a final decision is made.
The Board will conduct weighted voting of the options considered. The option receiving the most votes will be the recommendation of the Board. The appellant will be notified by phone or the internet of the final decision. All decisions of the Board and/or the Director of the DPSS are final. The Board may consider, but is not limited to the following options:
- Let the citation stand as written along with maximum fines and penalties.
- Let the citation stand as written, but consider lesser penalties.
- Modify the violation and issue a new citation or warning.
- Retire the Citation (file the citation and will only come back up if another violation is received within a year of the ticket date)
- Nullify or dismiss the citation.
The Director of the DPSS or the Board does not have the authority to waive towing fees. Towing fees will have to be negotiated or appealed at the tow company.
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