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Parking Tickets Double for Student Offenders
By Bria Smith and Megan Trasport
Parking tickets went from $25 to $50 on March 1. In tough economic times, students were baffled why parking tickets increased. But the college said the decision came out of student government.
“The idea was brought up in an Student Government Association (SGA) meeting by upperclassmen, saying that they were tired of freshmen taking their spots on the hill,” said Craig Goforth, dean of student affairs. “They feel that they had earned their places, and that it was their time. A lot of freshman were taking the tickets and not moving their cars. The SGA felt that the only way for there to be a change was to increase the tickets.”
If a senior is issued a ticket and does not pay it, “graduation is going to be a sad day for them,” Goforth said in an interview last week with The Hilltop.
Tickets issued on campus include a Mars Hill College civil ticket and a Mars Hill City ticket. If you park in downtown Mars Hill and are issued a light yellow ticket by the town’s police, clearing it up is urgent, Goforth said.
“You better get up there and pay it, and pay it now. You are given 48 hours to pay it, or it turns into a warrant,” he said.
At Mars Hill College, the ticket automatically goes on a student’s account. If the ticket on the account is not paid off, a student cannot receive a transcript or a diploma.
“On that big day, they will receive a note that says ‘See the business office,’” Goforth said.
Student-athletes on campus are infamous for parking by the athletic fields and getting tickets.
“There have been many problems turning buses around in the Ponders Field lot, and they (illegal parkers) block the practice field to the point where I can’t get the ambulance through there” Goforth said.
Improper zone parking has become an issue on campus. This can range from conflicts between upperclassmen and lower classmen to students parking in faculty lots.
When Goforth thinks of a good day he describes one without student parking violations.
“Oh gosh, a good day for me, besides seeing Carolina winning the National Championship, would be everybody parking where they need to, using the crosswalks and not owing a dime for tickets,” Goforth said.
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