Student, Faculty and Staff Parking

The Alma College Campus Safety Department exists to provide a safe and secure environment for pedestrians and vehicles. The Alma College security staff (hereafter referred to as Campus Safety) has the authority to enforce these parking regulations.

The use of a motor vehicle on Alma College property is a privilege, not a right. The college reserves the right to revoke or restrict campus driving and parking privileges of anyone for just cause relative to violations of parking and traffic regulations.

Parking and traffic regulations are enforced year-around, including periods when classes are not in session. Drivers are expected to read and understand these parking regulations. Motor vehicles include:

• Automobiles, vans and SUVs
• Trucks
• Motorcycles, with the exception of those licensed for off-road use
• Mopeds
• Motorized scooters

1. All motor vehicles parked on campus facilities must be registered and display the proper permit. This includes faculty/staff, students, commuter students, dual-enrolled students and visitors. Faculty and staff can obtain permits at the Facilities and Service Management Office.Students may apply for parking permits through their online portal. They may pick up parking permits from the Center for Student Opportunity (CSO), located in Tyler Van Dusen, or during Fall check-in.

• The fees are as follows:
• Faculty/staff Free
• Resident Student - Maroon or Teal $300
• Resident Student – Silver parking $250
• Commuter Student (Opera House) $180
• Church or School - Off Campus Lots $150
• Dual-enrolled High School Student Free
• Visitor Free

See the Color-coded Parking Map for lot designations and locations.

The use of various adhesive tapes or temporarily attaching the permit to the vehicle’s surface is strictly prohibited.

Visitors may obtain a parking permit from:

• Admissions Office, Reid-Knox Administration Building for general campus visitors
• Campus Safety Office, Tyler-Van Dusen Campus Center after business hours

Student and faculty/staff permits are affixed to the inside surface of the lower driver-side corner of the front windshield.

Visitor permits are placed face up on the front dash of the vehicle.

2. Anyone registering a vehicle for a parking permit must have:

• Valid Alma College ID
• Valid driver’s license
• Current vehicle registration

3. Guests of students must be accompanied by the Alma College student host to register their vehicle and obtain a temporary parking permit. Temporary permits may be picked up at the Campus Safety Office, located in Room 148 in Tyler-Van Dusen Campus Center.*

4. Guests of faculty and staff are required to have a parking permit obtained by their host from the Campus Safety Office, located in Room 148 in Tyler-Van Dusen Campus Center.*

*If the Safety Office is closed, please call x7777 or (989) 463-7777 and a Campus Safety Officer will assist you.

5. A parking permit is no longer valid after:

• The end of an academic year for students
• A student withdraws or graduates
• A faculty/staff member is no longer employed
• The status of student changes from resident to commuter, or vice versa. Permits may be exchanged at no cost to the student if a permit is available.
• Ownership of vehicle changes

6. Lost or damaged permits may be replaced at a cost:

• Faculty/staff $75
• Students Original purchase price

7. Anyone who operates an additional or alternative vehicle will need a parking permit under these circumstances:

• Students who drive vehicles on an alternating basis must contact Residence Life
• Faculty/staff who drive vehicles on an alternating basis may register for an additional permit; both vehicles are not permitted on campus at the same time
• Temporary permits are available at no cost to anyone operating a substitute or rental vehicle. The permit is valid in the parking lot for which you have your original registration. A two-week temporary permit can be picked up at Facilities and Service Management. If there is a need to have a temporary vehicle to be on campus any longer than two weeks, the driver will need to come back and request another temporary permit. A one day temporary parking permit can be picked up at the Campus Safety Office after-hours. During regular business hours, if there’s no parking available on the street, a temporary permit can be picked up at Facilities and Service Management. Temporary permits should be picked up as soon as the vehicle arrives to campus. Driver must present a current vehicle registration for the temporary vehicle.

These guidelines have been designed to ensure orderly parking, provide access for parking lot maintenance and snow removal, to restrict or temporarily close any campus roadway or parking area for special events, and to provide access for emergency vehicles.

1. Students who find their assigned lot full must promptly notify Campus Safety to secure a temporary permit to park in a designated overflow lot. Overflow parking is allowed until noon the following day. If students have a maroon or teal permit they may park in any of the silver lots if the maroon or teal lot is full.

2. Vehicles must be parked within marked spaces.

3. There is no parking allowed in fire lanes, garage entrances, dumpster areas, sidewalks, loading dock areas or on the grass.

4. Placing handbills, flyers or other advertisements on vehicles is prohibited unless approved by the Residence Life Office.

5. When parking on city streets, there must be three feet of clearance on either side of a driveway and 50 feet of clearance to a stop sign.

6. Any vehicle parked on college property without a license plate and valid registration will be treated as abandoned and removed from campus.

7. Use of emergency lights or flashers does not excuse illegal parking.

8. In the event of a vehicle breakdown, the driver must contact Campus Safety at (989) 463-7777 and report the location, vehicle description, license plate number and estimated time frame for repair/removal. The vehicle cannot obstruct traffic or remain parked in a fire lane or space reserved for handicap parking.

9. Individuals not remaining on campus during break periods are encouraged to remove their vehicle from college property.

10. After business hours and on weekends the following lots are open to general parking:

• Faculty and staff parking lots are open from 5:00 p.m.–1:00 a.m. on Monday through Thursday and from Friday at 5:00 p.m. to Sunday at 1:00 a.m.
• All student parking lots are open from 5:00 p.m. Friday to 5:00 p.m. Sunday
• Vehicles remaining in these lots after the stated hours are subject to citation

11. Special events or snow removal may necessitate the closure of parking lot(s). The Alma College community will be notified via e-mail.

1. Citations and fines will be issued when the above regulations are violated. Student fines will be charged immediately to the violator’s account but may be appealed within 7 days as described below. Faculty and staff fines must be paid at the Financial Services Office in Hamilton, using cash or credit/debit card.

2. Violators with a valid Alma College parking permit who continue to violate parking policies:

These are vehicles with current and valid parking permit that are visible on a vehicle but have accumulated parking violations on Alma College property.

When a violator receives 5 or more unpaid citations, the following may be conducted:

• A warning letter from Campus Safety will be sent to the violator in regards to the three unpaid citations.
• The violator may appeal the ticket(s) within a 7-day time frame from which the ticket(s) were issued.
• Tickets are charged to the student’s account at the conclusion of the appeal process.
• If a violator with a valid parking permit continues to receive 3 or more parking citations, Financial Services/ Residence Life/ or Campus Safety will reach out to the student in regards as to why the student is not complying with the parking policy and request that the violator complies with the parking policy.
• If a fifth ticket is issued, paid or unpaid, the violator will lose parking privileges for the remainder of the academic year and the vehicle will be towed, at the owner’s expense, if not removed. The violator will have 48 hours to forfeit the parking pass after Campus Safety sends a letter to the violator.

3. Violators without a valid Alma College parking permit who continue to violate parking policies are subject to the same policies as noted above. If campus safety and financial services is unable to determine an owner of a vehicle of which does not have a valid parking permit, the vehicle may be towed at the owners expense base on a case by case basis.

• Violators with an out-of-state license plate will not receive a warning letter, but will be towed immediately upon issuance of the third citation.

4. Parking citations, paid and unpaid, remain on record for an academic year.

5. Vehicle driving violations observed by Campus Safety will be documented and an incident report processed. The violator may lose driving privileges on campus. Campus Safety reserves the right to notify local law enforcement to report to campus to enforce such traffic laws as deemed necessary.

6. Parking violation fines are as follows:

• Motor Vehicle Background Check for non-registered Vehicles $11
• Boot Fee $50

Fines for any of the below violations are as follows:

• No registration / improper registration
• Posted No Parking zone
• Parking in a visitor’s zone, fire lane, loading zone
• Unauthorized parking in designated accessible zone
• Parking in unauthorized areas or spaces
• Improperly affixed permit
• Grass / double parked

First, second and third violation $25

Fourth violation $50

Five or more violations $100

Note: Failure to remove the vehicle from handicap parking will result in a second citation and immediate towing without notification.

• Fraudulent permit $250

A fraudulent permit falls under any of the following definitions:

• Creation and use of a fake parking permit
• Receipt and use of parking permit registered to another student
• Tampering with “Temporary Parking Permit”
• Theft of a parking permit registered to another user
• The fraudulent permit fee will be waived when the violator purchases a parking permit at full-cost if a permit is available for purchase.

Failure to surrender the fraudulent permit will result in a second citation and immediate towing without notification.

7. Parking in a marked tow away zone will result in a citation and immediate towing, at the owner’s expense, without notification.

8. Unidentifiable Vehicles – Any vehicle that is unable to be identified and is not complying with the parking policy, the violator will not receive a “Warning Letter” because the vehicle is not able to be identified and the vehicle will be immediately towed, at the owner’s expense, when observed in violation.

The person(s) in whose name a vehicle is registered, according to records maintained by the Michigan Secretary of State, is responsible for violations involving the vehicle, even when driven by other individuals.

1. Citations may be appealed within 7 days from the date the ticket is issued. Tickets may be appealed through the online parking portal

2. Appeals will be reviewed electronically and the violator will receive notification of the decision electronically within 7 days of receipt of the written appeal.

4. If the ticket appeal is granted after the fine has been charged to a student’s account, a credit will be posted to reverse the charge.

While Alma is a safe and friendly area, vehicle break-ins and vandalism occur occasionally on campus. Take action to safeguard yourself and your vehicle.

1. Lock all doors and close all windows after parking.
2. Secure the vehicle with an electronic alarm, if available.
3. Do not leave valuables in plain sight. Unoccupied vehicles should have valuable items removed at all times.
4. If you park your car but do not use it regularly, check on it daily.
5. Keep your doors locked when driving.
6. Always remain alert in parking areas.
7. If you believe that you are being followed, do not drive to your parking area. Instead, drive to the Campus Safety and Security office or a place where there are many people and immediately notify the local authorities and/or Campus Safety and Security at (989) 463-7777.
8. Promptly report any campus lighting or other maintenance or groundskeeping concerns that may require immediate attention.