Eastern Kentucky University Encompass Eastern Progress 1980-1981 Eastern Progress 1-15-1981 Eastern Progress - 15 Jan 1981 Eastern Kentucky University Follow this and additional works at: http://encompass.eku.edu/progress_1980-81 Recommended Citation Eastern Kentucky University, "Eastern Progress - 15 Jan 1981" (1981). Eastern Progress 1980-1981. Paper 17. http://encompass.eku.edu/progress_1980-81/17 This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Eastern Progress at Encompass. It has been accepted for inclusion in Eastern Progress 1980-1981 by an authorized administrator of Encompass. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ' • ■ . OHteW SOKW PuMtenton of iMn. Kantueky IMWrtty Vol. SO/No 17 10 Thursday. Jmwv 16. 1M1 NWmM4. K y. «047B High parking ticket fines, abundance of tickets provoke questions Editor's note: all statistics quoted in Even though the University had and carried her luggage into the dor- the following story were obtained from fewer cars registered last semester mitory. When she returned there was a Tom Lindquist, director of Public than either UK or Western, the ticket on her car. Reyes looked at her Safety at Eastern, Ruth Hastie, University issued many more tickets. watch - it was 10:42 a.m. She looked at manager of the parking department at The parking department at Western the ticket ... it had been written at UK and Sgt Janet Kirby, parking and issued 7,348 parking decals from the 10:41 a.m. traffic supervisor at Western. first week in June through the first week in December. The department "I was extremely angry," said By BETTY MALKIN wrote 7,929 parking tickets for the same Reyes. "I was so mad I forgot about my Feature* Editor period At UK, 12,000 cars were class and went straight to the Brewer Building to register my appeal. I think Due to a parking situation and registered from the last week in August through the first week in December. they (University officials) are being ticketing system at the University very closed - minded. They are closing which many students have labeled About 13,000 tickets were issued during that time. their eyes and refusing to acknowledge "unfair" and "money-oriented," the the needs of students to unload their University Division of Public Safety At the University. 5,964 cars were cars," she added. has been the target of much suspicion registered since the beginning of fall ••• and ridicule. semester through the first week in Gay Begley, a senior music major, It is unlikely that every criticism of December and M,78S tickets were parked her car in the O'Donnell lot one the division has been valid. However, written. snowy evening last year. The next day after comparing facts and figures at the One possible reason for the high when walking to class. Begley noticed a University with other state universities number of tickets being written here is ticket on her car. The ticket said she and listening to individual reports from that the University Is the only one of the had parked on a yellow curb. She looked students and faculty, it is clear there three schools which employs officers at the curb - it was covered with snow. are numerous problems, occurring just to patrol parking areas and issue She picked up the ticket from under the within the division - including an tickets. windshield and found not one, but three overwhelming number of costly tickets. The tickets had been written at A bundle of cold parking citations being issued every Also, the size of the University's 10:30 am, 11:00 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. of Walking to class can be a treacherous experience when the this could be one of the coldest winters in recent years, (photo safety force is relatively larger than the the same day. snow is falling and the streets are slick. Forecasters predict by Will Mansfield) day to campus motorists. ••• When comparing statistics at the two other universities. The University employs 27 officers with the authority University senior Amy Baumann also University with those at Western received a ticket for illegally parking in Kentucky University and the to write tickets - 16 sworn officers, nine cadets and two security guards. the O'Donnell lot last semester. She University of Kentucky, some questions appealed the ticket because she said the arise. Western has 23 officers - five sworn State Attorney General opinion officers and 18 student patrol per- parking space was improperly marked. Why are parking fines at the When Baumann registered her ap- University so high compared to the sonnel. There are 30 sworn officers at UK and no student personnel. peal she asked if her packet would be sought on parking system other two universities? (see chart) For withheld during pre-registration due to many violations, the University With the great number of tickets the registered appeal. The clerk said By BETTY MAI.KIN "questionable practices" within the oriented" parking system The motorists must pay three times what being issued, the high fines and an the packet would not be held. motorists at other universities would Feature* Editor safety division, but dwells on the at- newspaper suggests the parking appeals system in which a student is However, when Baumann went to The K.istern Progress has submitted titude and general focus of the system should be based on a "deter- pay for the same violation. denied a reduced fine if he registers and pick up her registration packet, she department. For instance, at the University a a written request to Kentucky Attorney mination to insure the safety of then loses his appeal, many students received a pink slip - her packet had General Steven Beshear to review the "It is our opinion the division has students by insisting all policies and ticket for parking in a fire lane costs and some faculty members have grown been withheld. It took her three hours become relaxed in its authority," the $15. At UK and Western the ticket cost role of the University Division of Public ticketing practices be consistent and increasingly angry with the Division of spread over two days to gain approval Safety in. what the newspaper has letter states "It (the division) is not fair." $5. If the ticket is paid within seven Public Safety. from the Division of Public Safety to making checks on itself and it is not Although Chenoweth did encourage days, the fine at the University is termed, a "confusing" parking system. Lindquist said he is aware public obtain her pre-registration packet. making checks on its policies. And it the newspaper to submit the written lowered to $10. The fine is lowered to certainly is not making an effort to be request for an official opinion from the $2.50 at Western, if the ticket is paid sentiment concerning his division is not Ron Wolfe, assistant director of The newspaper acted upon the favorable. However, he said he was not alumni affairs at the University, recommendation of State Deputy At- consistent in its ticketing practices, to Attorney General, newspaper officials within 24 hours. work out any problems that may be said the deputy attorney general also Currently, UK does not have reduced aware of individual problems some received a ticket while unloading his torney Ceneral Robert Chenoweth who campus motorists report to be having car in front of the Keen Johnson referred to the University's parking occurring with individual safety of- warned that matters involving penalties during a grace period. But ficers or to even show any concern that universities are very "touchy" -- with Ruth Hastie, parking director at UK, with the parking system. Building. appeals policy as appearing to be For example . "arbitrary and capricious." many students and faculty members outside influences having very little said the department is considering Wolfe had called Building and are upset and questioning the motives power over the actions of institutions setting up a grace period during which Grounds several times to deliver the The current appeals system requires of the division." the violator may pay a reduced fine. University senior Karen Reyes drove materials, but nobody ever showed up a student to submit his appeal within The letter charged the division with The letter stated the reason for Lindquist said the high ticket fines at her car up in front of McGregor Dorm to do it. So Wolfe delivered the seven days after the ticket is written. not handling its authority with the kind sending the request was due to a the University are used as a deterrent tory to unload her luggage on a materials himself - parking in front of However, if the student loses the ap- of "careful consideration nor with the prevailing campus attitude of to keep students from violating parking Monday morning. All but one of the the Keen Johnson Building where he peal, he is denied the lower fine he kind of integrity and accountable "suspicion and annoyance" with the regulations. metered spaces were full and the empty said he had seen University Regents would have paid had he not appealed behavior" of a non-profit, service University Division of Public Safety However, if the high ticket Tines do space was blocked by a University and other officials park many times the citation. organization. Sent with the written request was a serve as a deterrent, then why are vehicle. She looked at her watch. It was before. In the request to the Attorney The letter said students at the copy of the University's "Motor Vehicle thousands more tickets being written at 10:40 a.m. and she was late for class.