Motor vehicle and bicycle regulations

Any faculty, staff, or student (residential, commuter or auditing a course) who wishes to keep or operate any motor vehicle while at Goshen College must:

• Register any vehicle(s) they bring to campus and attach the permit to the front windshield lower passenger side.
• Have the vehicle covered by public liability and property damage insurance, and have a current license plate and tags.

The administration reserves the right to withdraw parking privileges from any student, staff or faculty person.

Vehicle Registration

Motor vehicle registration at Goshen College is FREE and MANDATORY. Registration is completed online at MyGC (GC Login Required). Click on the quick link “Vehicle Registration” from the quick links section. You will receive an email confirming your registration. Permits will be distributed by Campus Safety at new student orientation or via campus mail or office delivery. Display the sticker on the front windshield lower passenger side. On motorbikes and scooters, place them on the rear fender in a clearly visible position. Students or Employees with a documented medical condition may contact safety@goshen.edu to obtain a special permit that allows parking in restricted areas. There is a $50 fine for not registering your vehicle. Employees and Students only have to register their vehicles one time—permits are valid for the life of the vehicle.

Regulations

• No Parking in the Following Areas: in service drives or spaces, in any area marked by a yellow or red curb, in areas posted by signs, on sidewalks or lawns, in front of dumpsters.
• All employee parking lots have restricted parking from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.  Some spaces are reserved for 24 hours.
• All visitor lots have restricted parking from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Persons with student or employee permits may not park in visitor spaces during these times.
• Upon application with Campus Safety, a special permit may be given to physically challenged people with a valid doctor’s slip to park in specified areas. Numerous handicap parking spaces are provided on campus and are patrolled regularly to ensure they are not abused. Employees must apply at the human resource office for a temporary handicap sticker.
• College-owned cars must be parked in the physical plant motor pool spaces, or in open parking. They may not be parked in employee or visitor spaces. Violations of this policy will be charged to the driver or department who signed out the car.

Traffic Control

The Department of Campus Safety and all parking operations are under the direction of Student Life and supervises the following:

• Registration of motor vehicles operated by students and employees of Goshen College.
• Issues and revokes parking permits.
• Issues traffic tickets.
• Assesses and charges parking and traffic fines.
• Assists in recommending policy and signage changes.

NOTE: Campus Safety can not assist vehicle owners with jump starting their vehicle or breaking into a locked vehicle.

Traffic & Parking Violations Include

• Driving recklessly or exceeding campus speed limit of 15 miles per hour.
• Driving, riding or parking on sidewalks or lawns.
• Parking in a 24hr restricted spaces i.e. Motor pool, President Parking, fire lanes and other restricted area (See Below).
• Parking in a handicap parking space without proper designation on or in the vehicle.
• Failure to register vehicle.
• Failure to permanently mount a sticker after registering it. It is not acceptable to leave your sticker on the dashboard of your vehicle.
• Failure to notify Campus Safety within seven days of a license plate change.
• Registering a vehicle in another person’s name.
• Abandonment or failure to keep vehicle in operable condition. (Flat tires, broken windows, battered body, non-current license plates, etc.) Per city ordinance, such vehicles will be tagged by the city of Goshen and towed at the owner’s expense.
• Parking at the REC-FIT Center between 12AM-5AM.
• A $20 fine will be levied for all violations of campus traffic and parking regulations—including a $50 fine for failure to register a vehicle.

Curb Guide:

    🟨 Yellow Curb: No Parking (drop off zone only) all vehicles will be ticketed after 15 minutes.

    🟥 Red Curb: Fire Department Connection Zone.  No Parking 24/7, unattended vehicles will be ticketed or towed at the owners expense.

Handling Violations

• Each academic year a grace period will be extended for student parking lots from New Student Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Fire lanes, handicap parking, visitor lots, and faculty staff parking spaces will still be monitored and ticketed.
• Multiple traffic violations for the same, or similar violations, may result in the deployment of a vehicle immobilizing boot on the violating vehicle until a conference can be conducted between the offender and the Director of Campus Safety.
• In situations where a vehicle is left in a position of violation for a period of 72 hours, the Director of Campus Safety reserves that right to tow the vehicle off campus at the owner’s expense. Attempts to contact owner will be made and documented if the vehicle is registered. If the vehicle is unregistered, then the vehicle will be reported to Goshen Police Department as an abandoned vehicle.
• Consideration and grace will be given to students, employees, or guest who contact Campus Safety before (not after) committing a potential violation of our motor vehicle regulations.

Appeals Process

Appeals must be made in writing to chadc@goshen.edu or in-person to the Director of Campus Safety (RFC 101D) within 7-days from the date and time the ticket was issued.

Grounds for appeal include the following:

• There is substantial evidence that you did not commit the violation.
• Before receiving the citation, you made demonstrable attempts to notify Campus Safety of the situation.
• The citation was issued mistakenly due to a partially covered registration sticker on your front passenger side windshield.
  

Appeals will not be granted for the following:

• Not knowing the parking rules.
• Needing to park for a short period.
• Inability to find a parking spot.
• Incorrect Permit.
• Failure to obtain a temporary permit.
• Failure to notice parking lot signage. (Not all spaces are marked with a sign)
• Failure to display a parking permit.

Parking FAQ

My car has broken down and I can’t move it. What should I do?

Contact Campus Safety and inform an officer about your situation. If you do not contact Campus Safety you will be liable for any and all tickets that you may receive.

My friend/relative drove my car onto campus and they didn’t know the parking rules. Is the ticket void?

No, you are responsible for anyone that drives or parks your vehicle on the Goshen College campus. All fines will be sent to the person under whom the violating vehicle is registered.

I only drive my parent’s/spouse’s car on campus a couple of times a year. Should I register it?

Yes, Registration is free. Please register all vehicles that you may ever drive onto campus with any regularity.

I only have a vehicle on campus for a short period of time. What should I do?

If your vehicle will be on campus for two weeks or less (excluding May term), you should contact Campus Safety and acquire a temporary parking permit.

I am an employee (or commuter student) at Goshen College and primarily park my car at the RFC, Church, or Music Center. Do I still need to register my vehicle with Campus Safety.

Yes, while the RFC, Church, and Music Center are identified as unrestricted lots on campus—it is imperative that you register your vehicle so we can contact you if your vehicle is damaged while in the parking lot or needs to be moved immediately due to striping or a campus emergency.

I am a residential student and have a guest staying overnight where should they park?

Guests of residential students can park overnight in the visitor lot near the welcome center or at the Music Center unrestricted lot. Students should notify Campus Safety by email safety@goshen.edu if guests will be parking in unrestricted lots after midnight.