SU student parking violations, towing on the rise

On a daily basis, Cpl. Charlene Anderson tickets an average of six vehicles in parking lots designated for faculty and staff.
“We aren’t out to hurt them, we just want them to do the right thing,” said Anderson.
“Students should park in the right places.”
Finding a ticket on the windshield may be the least of some student’s worries but parking in the wrong zone can lead to more drastic measures such as towing.
The Traffic and Parking Division of the Southern University Police Department tow 75 vehicles a week that are parked in the wrong zone.
According to SUPD, the main reason cars are towed is because students choose to park in the wrong zones including handicap and reserved spaces. This violation adds a $60 fine to the student’s account.
“If you register your car and park in student areas you’ll never get a ticket,” said Kevin Johnson, deputy administrator of Traffic and Parking.
Although SU has 7,000 staff and students with registered cars, only 4,000 parking spaces are available.
“They could have more parking for students,” said LaToya Chambers, a senior physiology major from Baton Rouge. “Students outnumber teachers so why should we have to park back at the Minidome?”
The most heavily ticketed areas include the faculty parking zones near T.T.Allain, J.B. Moore, the Nursing School, and behind T.H. Harris.
One professor leaves two hours before her 9a.m. class to find parking.
” I should be able to park within two blocks of my building but I can’t,” said Carmen Del Rio, a Spanish professor. “I have the feeling that there is no one in charge. I’ve been to four other universities and I have never experienced what we are going through here.”
Southern University towed 350 cars last year.
Others universities in the area such as Louisiana State University tows 10 to 15 cars a day and 1,054 last year, according to Gray Gram, director of parking and traffic at LSU.
Before fall 2002, SUPD withheld cars if students did not pay their traffic fines. Now the cars are held until the owner claims it.
The Southern University Impoundment Lot is holding 21 cars with unpaid traffic fines and abandoned cars that students left on campus.
“Some students have $1300 worth of tickets and some have been here more than 6 years,” said Anderson.
“We don’t want to write tickets or tow cars but if you violate regulations it is the cost you pay,” said Johnson.
Last semester two SU students were arrested when they did not cooperate when SUPD officers were towing their car.
The officers accused were not charged with any wrong doing according to the court.
“Our police acted properly. It should not have gotten to that, the reason it got to that was because they parked where they shouldn’t have,” said Chief Dale Flowers.
The Traffic Department encourages students to park in the lot parking lot of A.W. Mumford Stadium, the F.G. Clark Activity Center, or behind the police station.
Students are also encouraged to ride the JAG Train bus system to and from these areas.