Section I: General Provisions
1. General
Pursuant to the authority granted by Sections 51.201 et seq., 54.005, 54.505, 65.31, and 71.04 of Title 3 of the Texas Education Code, and Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System, these Parking and Traffic Regulations are promulgated to regulate and control parking and traffic and the use of parking facilities, to provide for the issuance of parking permits, and to provide for jurisdiction over offenses. These regulations and procedures apply to any person who walks, drives, or parks a vehicle on university property. These rules and regulations are supplementary to applicable ordinances of the City of San Antonio and the statutes of the State of Texas that govern pedestrians and the use of motor vehicles and bicycles.
The operation of a motor vehicle or bicycle on University property is a PRIVILEGE granted by the University and is not an inherent right of any faculty/staff member, student, or visitor. All faculty, staff, students, and visitors who park on University property must have a university parking permit or park in a short-term paid parking space. A parking permit signifies that an individual has been granted the privilege of parking a vehicle on university property and does not guarantee a parking place on campus.
The university assumes no liability or responsibility for damage to or theft of any vehicle parked or driven on campus. The university assumes no responsibility or any duty to protect any vehicle or its contents at any time the vehicle is operated or parked on the campus. No bailment is created by granting any parking or operating privileges regarding a vehicle on any property owned, leased, or otherwise controlled by the university.
These regulations are in effect at all times on university property.
2. Administration and Enforcement of these Regulations
1. The University Standing Committee on Parking and Traffic
The University Standing Committee on Parking and Traffic is composed of twelve voting members consisting of a minimum of four faculty, four staff members, and four UTSA students. One representative each from People Excellence, Facilities, Alumni, and the University Police Department serve ex officio. Appointment of the Committee members will be consistent with current university policy. Faculty/staff members shall serve two-year terms and student members will serve one-year terms. The charge is to review operational guidelines and to make recommendations to the Sr. Vice President for Business Affairs for the development of and revisions to these regulations as are necessary to ensure an efficient parking and traffic system.
2. University Parking Appeals Panel
The University Parking Appeals Panel is composed of faculty, staff, and students. The appeals panel’s charge is to review appeals and render a decision. The panel may uphold the citation or reduce the citation to a warning. A majority decision is required for final disposition by, at a minimum, one faculty, one staff, and one student panelist.
3. Campus Services
The Parking Division of Campus Services is authorized to enforce these regulations and is responsible for the administrative functions relating to parking permits; establishing procedures and requirements for the issuance of parking permits; the collection of enforcement fees for parking and traffic violations; establishing requirements for the submission of appeals; the processing of appeals from parking and traffic citations; and for management of parking lots and garages. Campus Services supervises Parking Assistants who issue parking citations.
4. The University of Texas at San Antonio Police Department (UTSAPD)
UTSAPD is authorized to enforce these regulations at any time or under any circumstances deemed necessary by UTSAPD. UTSAPD officers may issue university citations or court appearance citations enforceable in municipal court.
3. Authority
Campus Services and UTSAPD are authorized to enforce these regulations:
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Through the issuance of university citations and collection of enforcement fees, including the periodic billing of unpaid citations and the referral of individual cases pertaining to unpaid campus citations to a national collection agency;
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Through the impoundment of vehicles interfering with the movement of vehicular, bicycle, or pedestrian traffic, blocking a sidewalk or space for those with disabilities, loading dock, ramp, cross-walk, entrance, exit, fire lane, or aisle;
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Through the impoundment or booting of vehicles for unpaid enforcement fees or display of a lost, altered, fraudulent, fictitious or stolen parking permit after proper notice (issuance of previous citations, vehicle notification, holds on records, and/or citation invoice);
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By the suspension, revocation, or denial of campus driving privileges, parking permit, and garage access privileges to those with overdue charges or who have violated these regulations;
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By requiring either the vehicle owner or operator or the person who purchased the permit to appear in court for certain moving violations or at a university hearing for non-payment of outstanding charges or other violations of these regulations;
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By barring re-admission and by withholding grades, degree, refunds, and official transcript of any student for non-payment of outstanding charges in accordance with university standards;
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By disciplinary action against employees or students who fail to abide by these regulations;
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By such other methods as are commonly employed by city governments or state agencies in control of traffic regulation enforcement.
4. Proof
The issuance of a citation reflecting the existence of any parking or traffic control device, sign, short-term spaces, signal, or marking at any location on university property shall constitute prima facie evidence that the same was in existence and was official and installed under the authority of applicable law and these regulations. When any person is charged with having stopped, parked, and left standing a motor vehicle on the campus, in violation of any provision of these Parking and Traffic Rules & Regulations, proof that said vehicle was, at the date of the offense, bearing a valid university parking permit shall constitute prima facie evidence that said vehicle was then and there stopped, parked, and left standing by the holder of the parking permit. If the vehicle does not bear a valid university parking permit, proof that the vehicle at the date of the offense alleged was owned by an individual is prima facie proof that said vehicle was then and there stopped, parked, and left standing by the individual.
5. Responsibility
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The person to whom a university parking permit is issued is responsible for any citation issued with respect to a car displaying that permit or a vehicle registered through Campus Services by that person.
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If the vehicle does not display a valid university parking permit and is not registered through Campus Services to any university permit holder, then the person to whom the vehicle is registered through the Texas Department of Transportation at the time of issuance of the citation and that individual’s university affiliate (UTSA employee, student, or permit holder within one year before or after the issuance of the citation) is responsible for the citation.
6. Collection Methods
The university may arrange for collection of debts due to the university pursuant to these regulations in the following manner:
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Permit payments may be deducted from employee payroll checks with the employee’s permission. Deductions for all permit purchases will continue until the full price of the permit is paid or until the permit is returned. Employees are responsible for monitoring their paychecks to ensure that proper deductions are being made for their UTSA parking permit. Participants are also responsible for contacting Campus Services if, for any reason, they will not be receiving a paycheck during the pay period in which a deduction is scheduled. The employee is liable for all payments for their UTSA parking permit if for any reason a scheduled deduction is missed.
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A financial hold will be placed against students for past due debts.
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Use of a commercial collection agency or attorney to collect past due fees for permits or citations. Late fee will accrue.
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No parking permit will be issued to any individual whose vehicle is subject to immobilization under these regulations or otherwise in accordance with university standards.
