The regulations regarding the use of parking facilities at Abilene Christian University are the result of a study by a planning committee composed of students, faculty and administrative officials of the university.  The ACU parking system is self-supporting.  This means it is necessary to apply a system of charges for all private vehicles utilizing university parking facilities.

Students, faculty and staff are expected to be familiar with and to abide by these regulations set forth in this handbook.  The fact that a citation is not issued when a vehicle is illegally parked does not mean or imply that the regulation or policy is no longer in effect.  The responsibility for obtaining knowledge of all parking policies and regulations rests with the motor vehicle operator.  Interim amendments to these regulations will be announced in the Optimist and posted online as soon as possible.

The university reserves the right to close any campus parking area or facility or to change the designation of any parking area.  Such change will be announced in the Optimist and will be also posted on signs in the appropriate parking area. 

EXCEPTION :

• Emergency closings for safety or security reasons may be made without prior notice. Notice will be given at the time of the closing by signs, barricades or personnel at the locations.
• REMOVING or DISREGARDING BARRICADES or OTHER TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
• Disregarding the direction of any ACU Police Officer or other authorized ACU employee regarding where vehicles may park or drive during a construction closure or other campus event is prohibited. Violations may result in citations being issued or the violators vehicle being towed.

Texas laws governing the use of motor vehicles on campus are effective at ACU.  In addition, ACU assumes no responsibility for the care and/or protection of any vehicle or its contents while the vehicle is being operated or parked on campus; however, an effort will be made by the ACU Police Department to protect all vehicles and property of students and the university.

The university reserves the right to remove and impound any abandoned motor vehicle, any vehicle with no license plates, or any vehicle parked in such a way as to constitute a serious hazard to vehicles or pedestrian traffic or to the movement and operation of emergency equipment. The owner will be responsible for the fees involved in removing, impounding and storing of any towed vehicle.

 

Parking Authority and Control

The ACU Police Department is the parking authority for all university property.  Officers are responsible for establishing guidelines for the use of any parking area on university property or for any university property that could be used for parking even if not specifically designated for parking.  Such areas include, but are not limited to, athletic fields, driveways, loading areas and lawns.

Parking at ACU is a privilege, not a right. The fact that a violation notice is not issued when a vehicle is illegally parked does not mean or imply that the regulation or policy is no longer in effect.

 

Definitions:

University property: is interpreted to include all properties under the control and jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees of ACU.

Campus area: refers to all university owned or controlled property, whether on the main campus or off-campus.

Motor vehicle: is interpreted to include automobiles, buses, trucks, motorcycles, motorbikes, motor scooters and mopeds.

Other vehicles: include any mechanism or device that can be used for the transportation of passengers or cargo.  This definition includes, but is not limited to, bicycles, skateboards, roller-skates and in-line skates.

Parking permit : is defined as any hangtag, decal or emblem authorized or issued by the ACU Police Department to allow the user to park within the ACU Parking System.

Parking zone: refers to a series of parking areas in which a particular permit is valid.

 

General Information

1. The speed limit for all vehicles in a parking lot is 10 MPH.
2. A 15 MPH speed limit will be enforced for vehicles traveling on any street through campus.
3. Parking privileges may be temporarily suspended at any time to accommodate  special events or other needs of the university.
4. The use of campus sidewalks by motor vehicles other than authorized emergency/maintenance vehicles for driving or parking is strictly prohibited.
5. The person in whose name a parking permit is issued will be held responsible for that vehicle.  In the event that a permit is lost or stolen, it should be reported immediately to the ACU Police Department.  Failure to report a lost or stolen permit will result in responsibility for all fines assessed against the permit until the time the permit lost or stolen was reported to ACU Police.  A citation is not excused on the plea that another person was driving the vehicle at the time the vehicle was cited.
6. A permit itself is no guarantee of a parking space near the place where one works, resides or attends class.
7. The face of a permit must be clearly legible from the front of the vehicle and properly displayed to be honored. Permit must be permanently affixed to the lower right passenger side of the vehicle’s front window/motorcycle’s front fairing or fork. Taping or propping up of a parking permit is not considered to be permanent.
8. Responsibility for finding an authorized parking space within the zones designated by the permit rests with the motor vehicle operator.
9. All vehicles must park within a defined space.  A space is defined by two (2) parallel stripes.  Any vehicle parked parallel on a roadway must face the direction of authorized traffic movement.
10. Parking a vehicle in any place that will create a traffic hazard or obstruct access is prohibited and may result in the vehicle being cited or towed.
11. Parking Permit related regulations are enforced 24 hours each day anytime that school semesters of any type are underway. This begins the first day of each semester, Maymester, Summer session and December short-courses and ending after the last day of the semester or course final exams. Yellow curbs, handicap spaces, fire zones, motorcycle and bicycle zones are enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the year.
12. Any student vehicle parked on ANY campus parking facility must have a valid parking permit, regardless of the duration, reason, or time of day that the vehicle is parked on campus.
13. The owner/operator of a vehicle which becomes stalled or disabled on any part of the university parking system must notify the ACU Police Department immediately. Otherwise, the owner/operator will be held accountable for any citation(s) issued to the vehicle or for any impoundment or towing related fees.
14. Recreational vehicles are prohibited from overnight parking or camping on campus without prior authorization and permit issued by the ACU Police Department.
15. Recreational vehicles are prohibited from overnight parking or camping on campus without prior authorization and permit issued by the ACU Police Department. RV’s may only be parked in areas designated by the ACU Police Department.
16. Trailers, whether towed by a vehicle or parked independently, are prohibited from parking within the ACU Parking System without prior permit and permission from the ACU Police Department. Trailers may be required to park in designated areas only.
17. Bicycles are not required to be registered with the university, but when not in use, are required to be parked at cycle racks provided on campus. Bicycles are prohibited from being secured to any trees, shrubbery, or sign posts.  Bicyclists are reminded that sidewalks are for the primary use of pedestrians.  Cyclists should use caution and courtesy when riding on the sidewalks.
18. Motorcycles, motor scooters and mopeds (gas or electric) are not to be operated or parked on sidewalks for any reason.  Electric mobility devices used by disabled or handicapped persons are exempt from this regulation.  Parking or operating a motorcycle on a sidewalk is cause for a citation/fine and immediate revocation of the campus parking permit privileges.
19. Falsification of information on a vehicle/motorcycle registration will result in a fine of $50 and/or loss of parking privileges on the campus.  This also includes displaying a lost or stolen decal or a falsely made or altered decal, or using a decal which has been issued to another person.

 

Permit Information

Permit Availability and Parking

All faculty, administration, staff employees and students, full- or part-time, who operate a vehicle/motorcycle on university property, regularly or occasionally, are required to register the vehicle with the ACU Police Department and are required to display the current year parking permit.

All parking permits, registration forms, and related documents are available in the student service center, “The Depot,” located in the McGlothlin Campus Center. Permits are also available at the ACU Police Department located at 1634 Campus Court. Administrative and lobby hours at the ACU Police Department are Monday – Friday 8a-5p.

Replacement permit decals may be obtained for a fee of $5.

Temporary permits are available at no charge for a period not to exceed two weeks and only to users who have purchased current year permit decals.

 

 

Parking Permit Fees & Fines

Refunds of $25 will be made to students upon request if the student is voluntarily withdrawing for Spring semester or who is set for December graduation. The Student Parking Permit (or remnants thereof) must be returned or accompany the request for the refund to be processed.   No refunds will be made after 10 class days of the Spring semester.

Replacement Student Parking Permits may be obtained for a fee of $5.

Except where noted, fines for violations will be assessed:  $15 for first offense, $18 for second offense, $30 for third offense and possible loss of parking privileges for fourth offense.

Booted Vehicles/Vehicle Immobilization Devices

The ACU Police Department may place immobilization devices (boots) upon vehicles for any of the following reasons:
(a)    Failure to properly register a vehicle
(b)    Excessive parking violations and/or excessive unpaid parking violations
(c)    Repeated/excessive illegal parking in handicap zones, red zones /fire lanes
(d)    Blatant parking violations. 
To obtain release of the vehicle, violators will be required to pay a $50 fine. Tampering with or attempting to remove the device from a vehicle is prohibited. Damage to the boot device or to the vehicle due to unauthorized tampering will be at owner’s expense, and may result in criminal charges being filed.

 

Parking Payments and Appeals

 

Persons receiving a citation should report to the ACU Police Department for payment of the fine within five (5) school days of the issuance.  Failure to pay a citation within the five days will result in the fine being placed directly on the student account of the violator. 

In certain cases, violators may appeal citations. Appeals must be filed within five (5) days of citation date. Appeals are reviewed by the Chief of Police or his designee. All appeal rulings are final.

Appeals based on (a) the duration of time spent in violation,  (b) time of day or night the citation was issued or (c) the parking lot was full, WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Appeal forms are available at:

The Depot student service center inside the McGlothlin Campus Center,
ACU Police Department, 1634 Campus Court,
Online at www.acu.edu/acupolice

 

University Police Department

ACU police officers are commissioned Texas peace officers with a duty to enforce:

Concealed Handguns and Other Firearms

Current Texas law regarding carrying concealed weapons by citizens who have valid Texas Concealed Handgun Permits does not authorize permit holders to bring or carry a handgun to a college campus.  The law did not change concerning weapons on campus.  It is a crime to possess or carry a firearm of any kind on university property, including parking lots, regardless of a handgun permit or license. Anyone found on university property with a handgun or other firearm in his or her possession will be subject to arrest.

Firearms of students living on campus may be stored at the ACU Police Department.

 

Emergencies

• Dialing 911 will route the call to the City of Abilene 911 Center. Calls originating from campus addresses or locations will also be routed through the ACU Police Department to be responded to by ACU Police Department personnel as well as other emergency responders as needed.
• Dialing 2911 will route the call immediately to the ACU Police Department but not route the call to the City of Abilene 911 Center.
• The non-emergency number for the ACU Police Department is 674-2305.
• Off-campus non-emergencies should be routed through the Abilene Police Department by phone at 673-8331.
• There are four Emergency Call Boxes on campus (see campus map for locations).
• The ACU Police Department is located at 1634 Campus Court.
• The ACU Police Department operates 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Office/Lobby hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Officers are on duty 24 hours a day and may be reached at 325-674-2305 or by dialing extension 2305 from any campus phone.

 

Shuttle Service

The personal safety of all students, staff and faculty is very important to ACU.  The ACU Student Safety Shuttle operates on and near campus weeknights 8 pm - midnight. Students are encouraged to use the shuttle for safety and convenience. If an escort is required for security or personal safety reason after normal shuttle hours, students may call the ACU Police Department at 674-2305.  An ACU Police Officer or other public safety personnel will respond to assist them.