Students face decal dilemmas

Beginning Sept. 10 from 8:00am-5:30pm students can begin registering their vehicles at the plant operations and police department building located at 2400 Wahnish Way.

Although classes have already begun, decals have not been distributed, and many students are concerned about being ticketed, towed or booted.

“Decals from last year [are] expire[d] August 3,” said Noelette Noel, 23, a nursing student from Orlando. “What are we supposed to do after that if we can’t get a decal now?”

Ticketing, towing, and booting for illegally parked cars will continue on campus even though the new 2007-2008 student decals have not been issued.

However, students parked in areas designated for employees, campus residents, no parking zones and other restricted areas, that are clearly indicated by color-coded signs will be towed.

General parking areas are identified by red signs.

James Lockley, Jr., assistant chief of police with the FAMU police department said several factors affect the delay of decals to students.

This includes the ordering process, the police department’s database storage of decal information, and a comprehensive audit of decals before distribution.

“Additionally, we need to ensure the drop/add period is complete before we give out decals to students,” said Lockley.

Lockley also said that decal and ticketing policies generally mirror those from previous semesters.

One original policy that parking services is enforcing this semester is a required typed registration form for students.

In order to receive a parking decal, students must go to http://www.famu.edu, click on OurFAMU and complete the 2007-2008 Vehicle Registration Form.

However some students find this process to be too timely.

“Printing the registration form off line will be a little inconvenient,” said Joy Goss, 22, a health science student from Tallahassee.

Lockley said the printed form of vehicle registration would make the decal process more accurate and eliminate careless mistakes.

In addition to this registration form, students must present a valid drivers license, a FAMU Rattler card, current vehicle registration, proof of enrollment, classification verification of the current semester, and proof of housing for students who live on campus.

Freshman who live on campus are not permitted to have a car. But those who live off campus can receive a decal by presenting the same information that all other classifications must have.

When distribution begins, student-parking decals will be distributed by last name.

Students with last names beginning with the letters A-F will receive decals on Monday, Sept. 10; letters G-K can receive decals on Tuesday, Sept. 11; letters L-P can pick up decals Wednesday, Sept. 12; students with last names Q-U can receive decals on Thursday, Sept. 13; and the remaining students with letters V-Z can pick up decals Friday, Sept. 14.

If a student misses the date specified for his/her last name, the last date to register a vehicle is Sept. 27.

According to a recent notice from the FAMU department of public safety parking service notice, all vehicles that are parked on campus must be properly registered before or on Sept. 27.

The $50 transportation fee covers the cost of student decals, which is included in tuition.

Lockley said transportation fees are used by the police department and parking services for auxiliary costs.

Transportation fees, along with profits from tickets and boots, pay for the vehicles parking enforcement employees’ use of fuel for the vehicles, the production of parking garages, and gravel maintenance, among other expenses.

Lockley said decal citations range from $15 to $20. Students who do not pay citation fines or request to appeal citations written for any violation within five working days from the date of the ticket will be placed on a class registration hold until the outstanding debt is paid.