Parking and Transportation

This policy applies to all Converse students, faculty, staff, contractors, and any other person who conducts business on Converse’s behalf, and visitors to Converse’s main campus.   

1. Parking Permits

Students and employees utilizing any Converse parking area must register their vehicles and secure a parking permit.  Parking permits are not transferable to another person or vehicle. 

Parking is controlled through permits and designated parking areas for students, faculty and staff, and visitors.  Permits do not guarantee a parking space but provide the driver with the license to park in any vacant and properly designated parking space.  

A. Student Permits

Residential and commuter students must renew their parking permit each academic year through Campus Safety.  Registration must be completed within five (5) days of operating the vehicle on campus.  

Student stickers, both initial and renewals, are issued at the Campus Safety office and are included in tuition

Resident Students are allowed to only register one car at any time but may update or change their registration information with Campus Safety as needed.  

B. Faculty/Staff Permits

Faculty and staff hang tags are issued at the time of employment and remain valid throughout employment. Hang tags are issued at no cost to the employee.  Hang Tags must be displayed at all times in the front window, preferably hanging from the rearview mirror.  

C. Visitor Passes

Visitors are expected to abide by Converse parking rules and should display a visitor parking pass when parking on Converse’s campus.  A complimentary, temporary visitor parking pass should be displayed on the front windshield and can be obtained from the host department or from Campus Safety during regular business hours.  Visitor passes must be dated to be valid and are restricted to the designated areas on campus.  Parking Fines may still apply if the visitor is found to be in violation of any posted or restricted parking areas and for other violations, including but not limited to moving violations; blocking loading zones, fire lanes, or hydrants; parking in spaces designated for faculty, staff, or students without prior permission, and for other violation listed in Section IV of this policy.  Event Visitor Parking is in the Fairview lot located across N. Fairview Ave 

D. Bicycle, Moped Permits

All bicycles and mopeds must be registered and display a current Converse permit sticker.   Permits are issued by Campus Safety after completion of the vehicle registration form on the Campus Safety site.  Registration must be completed within five (5) days of operating the bicycle/moped on campus.  

Any bicycle or moped without a current permit properly displayed is considered unregistered and subject to receiving the appropriate violation or confiscation.   Properly displayed permits are located on the handlebar head tube.   Campus Safety staff can assist in placing permits.  

All bicycles and mopeds must be operated according to this policy.  

Upon completion of the registration, a permit sticker can be picked up at the Campus Safety office. 

Registration must be completed within five (5) days of operating the vehicle on campus to avoid confiscation. 

 

2.  Parking Regulations

All parking regulations are in force 24 hours a day, 7 days a week unless otherwise noted.

A. Designated Parking Spaces

Converse has designated parking spaces on campus.  A list of color-coded line designations can be found on our public website.  This site also includes maps of our Spartanburg campus parking areas.    

B. Restricted Areas

Vehicles, bicycles and mopeds parking in any unauthorized area are considered in violation of this policy and therefore may be subject to fines and potential towing or immobilization.     For bicycles and mopeds, parking in unauthorized areas may lead to confiscation.  

Towing is strictly enforced.  

Restricted areas include:

1. Fire Lanes 

Pursuant to the South Carolina Code §56-5-2, vehicles may not be left in any fire lanes on campus. If the vehicle is left unattended for 15 minutes or longer, Campus Safety has the right to tow the vehicle at the owner's expense. This does not apply to emergency vehicles, emergency repair contractor vehicles, official vehicles responding to calls or incidents, or carriers delivering mail, parcels, or packages. EMERGENCY FLASHERS ARE NOT PERMISSION TO BE IN A FIRE LANE

 

Pursuant to South Carolina law, only the Director of Campus Safety and/or the Campus Fire Marshal may give permission to park in the fire lanes for very limited times only. No one else on campus has this authority. 

 

2. Other Prohibited Spaces

Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, or in compliance with the directions of a Campus Safety Officer, no person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle:

- Creating an obstruction of a sidewalk or any other roadway.

- On a crosswalk. 

- On lawns or other cultivated areas.

- Within an intersection;
- Within fifteen (15) feet of a fire hydrant; or
- At any place where an official traffic control device prohibits standing, parking, or stopping.

   3.    Towing Zones 

Certain areas on campus are towing zones.  Vehicles parked in these areas will be towed at the owner’s expense in cases where they are abandoned, disrupt the normal traffic flow, damage property or landscaping, create a hazard, or are parked in reserved spaces. 

3. Enforcement 

Campus Safety is responsible for issuing citations, enforcement, and reporting of parking violations to college administration as appropriate.  

Vehicles, bicycles and mopeds may be issued a fine without warning due to a breach of this policy.   Repeat offenses or other circumstances, such as blocking fire lanes and emergency access, may result in towing at the driver’s expense. 

Cooperation and compliance with these rules and regulations by all members of this community are essential.  Failure to comply may result in citations, fines, towing of vehicles at owner’s expense, suspension or revocation of parking privileges on campus, and even disciplinary action. Students, Staff and Faculty are responsible for their guests parking violations if left unsettled. 

4. Parking Fines

Failure to comply with this policy or any parking regulations will result in fines.  Converse reserves the right to review and update parking fees at any time.   

Parking Violations:
Parking Permit - None or Expired	$50
Over posted time	$50
Improper parking	$50
Parking without a valid permit	$50
Reserved Space	$50
Blocking Sidewalk	$50
Blocking Traffic	$50
Parking in any of the following locations:
On lawn or sidewalk	$50
Loading area No Parking Zone Wrong way Reserved for Handicap Fire Lane/Hydrant Other Moving Violations:	$50   $50 $50 $100 $100 $100-$200
Failure to Stop at Stop Sign Failure to Yield Driving Against Traffic on One-Way Road Failure to Obey the Lawful Direction of a Campus Safety Officer Failure to Report an Accident Careless Operation	$60 $60 $60 $60 $60 $100

All fines must be paid with Student Billing Services and are due within ten (10) days.  Any fine not paid or appealed within ten (10) days of issuance, with the exception of weekends and holidays, will be doubled in value.              

For students, all fines due must be paid in full before next semester’s registration or graduation.    

For faculty and staff, Converse reserves the right to clear all remaining unpaid parking fines by deduction from wages, annually and/or upon separation of employment.  

Outstanding fines under this policy that are not paid in full prior to June 30^th each year are subject to payroll deduction from the first paycheck in the new fiscal year (July payment) or from the last payment in the event of separation of employment.  Notification of deduction will be made at least seven (7) days in advance of the deduction, to the extent possible.

Payment of fines may be made in the Billing Office by

• Student Account
• Credit/Debit Card (Visa/Mastercard/American Express)
• Check
   

City of Spartanburg authorities and Converse Campus Safety may issue tickets and/or tow a vehicle at the owner’s expense for fire lane, visitor space, and “disabled-accessible” violations. Three or more consecutive violations of any kind may result in towing or booting of the vehicle at the expense of the violator/owner. Fines will automatically be charged to the violator/owner account. 

Converse is not responsible for any damage to vehicles caused by the towing of vehicles.

5.         Revocation of Parking Permissions 

Converse retains the right to revoke any on-campus parking and driving privileges within its sole discretion.  Revocation reasons include, but are not limited to: 

• Violations in excess of five per semester or seven per year; 
• Use of a permit in a fraudulent manner;
• Creating a nuisance or causing property damage while making repairs to vehicles on campus; 
• Causing property damage; 
• Becoming verbally or physically abusive, threatening or verbally assaulting any safety officer during the performance of his or her duties, or 
• Inappropriate operation of a motor vehicle, bicycle, or moped that presents a safety concern to the campus community. 

Payment of violations does not void a revocation.

6. Appeals

Appeals of parking citations, towing charges, and revocations may be made within ten (10) days from the date of issuance or notification by contacting the Director of Campus Safety to set up an appeal hearing. At this point, the citation will be put on hold until the hearing has concluded and a final determination has been made.  The Director of Campus Safety may consult with other university officials in the determination process and will be responsible for communicating decisions with the appropriate parties.    

Violations for which there are no appeals include: 

• Parking in fire lanes or impeding a fire hydrant; and
• Unauthorized use of “disabled-accessible” parking spaces. 

7. Motorcycles, Mopeds, Licensed Scooters, Bicycles, and Skateboards

All motorcycles and licensed scooters are subject to the same vehicle registration and parking regulations as any other motor vehicle. They are to be parked only in designated parking spaces and are not to be parked inside or adjacent to any buildings, on sidewalks, or within landscaped areas.  Mopeds may be parked in any bike rack on campus, provided that the rack is not under a structure or cover.   

Mopeds and bicycles may not be operated on sidewalks but may be walked to a campus bike rack and properly secured.  All bicycles and mopeds must be parked in an outside bicycle rack and secured with a cable and lock; there are NO inside bicycle racks.

Motorcycles, mopeds, licensed scooters, bicycles, in-line skates, skateboards and other wheeled or similar transportation should not be used in a manner that jeopardizes the safety of other pedestrians or in a manner that could damage campus property.  This includes not operating these items on any walls, monuments, gutters, railings, racks, benches, other structures, or fixtures on the Campus; this includes on any ramps or steps on Campus except for the purpose of entering or leaving a building or making normal pedestrian progress along a Campus sidewalk.

None of these devices are permitted in any building.

8. Abandoned and Hazardous Vehicles

Parked vehicles without a current Converse issued parking permit will be deemed abandoned after 24 hours if it is observed unoccupied and abandoned.   Campus Safety will work with the Spartanburg Police Department to confirm that the vehicle has not been stolen and is not wanted by local authorities.    A warning sticker will be placed on the windshield advising the owner to remove the vehicle within 24 hours.   If the vehicle remains parked after the expiration of that notification, Converse has the right to tow the vehicle at the owner’s expense.   

Vehicles that appear to be vandalized or damaged and/or present a hazardous condition may be immediately towed.  Hazards include but are not limited to, 1 or more flat tires for multiple days, impaired vehicles, vehicles parked in a hazardous location or in a hazardous manner. 

Release of vehicles after towing is strictly between the towing company and the owner.   

9.       Scooters/ Mopeds/Other Battery-Operated Devices

Converse University is committed to maintaining a safe and accessible campus environment. To minimize risks associated with the operation, storage, and charging of mopeds, scooters, and other battery-powered devices, the following regulations are in effect:

a. Prohibited Devices:

The following devices are prohibited on all university property:

• Electric scooters (e-scooters)
• Hoverboards
• Electric bicycles (e-bikes)
• Any other battery-powered personal transportation devices not explicitly approved by the university

b. Use and Operation:

The operation of scooters, and other battery-powered devices is not permitted on campus walkways, sidewalks, roads, parking lots, or within any campus buildings.

These devices are not allowed to be ridden, stored, or parked on any university property.

c. Storage and Charging:

Storage of mopeds, scooters, or any other battery-powered devices within residence halls, academic buildings, or any other university facilities is strictly prohibited.

Charging these devices inside any university buildings, including residence halls, is not allowed due to potential fire hazards and safety concerns.

d.  Exceptions:

Exceptions to this policy may be granted on a case-by-case basis for students or employees with documented mobility disabilities requiring the use of specific battery-powered devices. Such exceptions must be approved by the Office of Accessibility Services or Human Resources.

University-owned or operated electric vehicles used for campus maintenance or security are exempt from this policy.

e. Enforcement and Penalties:

Any violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action, which may include fines, confiscation of the device, and/or other penalties in accordance with university regulations.

Confiscated devices will become property of the University and will not be returned. 

f.  Reporting and Contact Information:

Violations of this policy should be reported using the Student Conduct reporting form located on My.Converse.edu. or to the Campus Fire Marshal

For questions or to request an exception, please contact the Office of Accessibility Services at accessibilityservices@converse.edu.

g. Electric Motor Vehicles

Personal electric vehicles are allowed to be on campus but are NOT allowed to be charged on campus. 

A violation could result in confiscation of the charger, cutting off a plug, parking revocation, and/or other penalties in accordance with university regulations.