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, 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.   Possession of a handicap (disabled) parking placard does not exempt an individual from registering their vehicle with Campus Safety. Disclosure of handicap placard or license plate must be done upon campus registration. If obtained after campus registration, you must update your registration with Campus Safety. Campus Safety may request the placard holder to present the corresponding State‑issued identification card or other proof of authorization. The placard and its authorized holder must be traveling in the same vehicle. Pursuant to SC Code 56‑3‑1960 and 56‑3‑1965 

A.  Student Permits 

Residential and commuter students must register their vehicles through Campus Safety.  Registration must be completed within five (15) days of operating the vehicle on campus and will last throughout their time at Converse.   Student parking decals are issued at the Campus Safety office.  There are no additional fees for student parking decals. 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. Long term/reoccuring visitors and contract faculty, instructors and staff, a complimentary, temporary visitor parking pass should be displayed in the front windshield and can be obtained from the host department or from Campus Safety during regular business hours. For short term visitors, outside event patrons, and event guests do not require a visitor pass provided the host department or Event Services has made notification to the Campus Safety Dept.   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 violations listed in Section IV of this policy.  Event Visitor Parking is in the Fairview lot located across N. Fairview Ave. If a visitor does not resolve their parking citation, the fine will be reassigned to the individual who hosted them. This responsibility applies to the host personally. 

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 (15) 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 Faculty/Staff parking will be enforced from 7 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. All other parking regulations are in force 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, unless otherwise noted or temporary signs are in place. 

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

• Purple lined spaces are reserved for Students  
• Yellow lined spaces are reserved for Staff and Faculty 
• White lined spaces are reserved for general parking and may be used by any authorized campus visitor or community member. 

2.A.1. Raffle and Promotional Parking Space 

Converse may designate a temporary promotional or raffle parking space. The space will be marked by Campus Safety with appropriate signage and assigned to the designated winner for a defined period. The winner will be issued a temporary permit indicating the valid dates for use. Use of this space is a privilege and remains subject to all other parking regulations contained in this policy. Unauthorized vehicles parked in the promotional space may be cited or towed at the owner’s expense. 

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 contractors, and Facilities 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 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 the 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:  

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 30th 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 Student Finance  Office. 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 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 seven within any  rolling 12-month period;  
• Use of a campus permit or disabled placard 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 their 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. Prohibition on Sleeping or Residing in Vehicles 

Vehicles parked on University property are intended for transportation purposes only. Sleeping, camping, or residing in a vehicle on campus is not permitted unless expressly authorized by Campus Safety. 

Campus Safety personnel who encounter an individual sleeping or residing in a vehicle may approach the vehicle and occupant/student to conduct a wellness check and verify the individual’s student status. When the individual is a currently enrolled student, Campus Safety may refer the matter to Student Affairs or Residential Life to assess potential housing or student support needs. 

Students who continue to use vehicles as sleeping or living accommodations on University property after notice of this policy may be subject to parking citations, vehicle relocation or towing, and/or referral to the student conduct process. 

The University reserves the right to take appropriate action to ensure the safety of individuals and the proper use of campus facilities. 

7. Appeals 

Appeals of parking citations, towing charges, and revocations may be made within ten (10) days from the date of issuance or notification by filling out the parking ticket appeal form.   The Director of Campus Safety or designee 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.  

All appeals after the 10 day window will be denied  

8. 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 is permitted in any building. 

9. Abandoned and Hazardous Vehicles 

Parked vehicles without a current Converse issued parking permit may be deemed abandoned after 7 consecutive days if it is observed unoccupied and abandoned.   Prior to towing, Campus Safety will make reasonable efforts to verify with the Spartanburg Police Department that the vehicle has not been reported stolen and it is not wanted by local law enforcement authorities. A notice will be placed on the windshield advising the owner to remove the vehicle within 24 hours. If the vehicle remains on campus after the notification window closes, Converse reserves 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 without prior notice.  Hazards include, but are not limited to, one or more flat tires for multiple days, inoperable vehicles, fluid leaks, vehicles parked in a hazardous location, blocking or obstructing traffic flow, or in any other way that creates a dangerous condition.  

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

10. 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 Campus Safety 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 the 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 of a plug,  and parking revocation, and/or other penalties in accordance with university regulations.