It’s early May of your senior year. The sun is shining, the grass is green, and you are anxiously anticipating graduation. Suddenly you are told you are not allowed to graduate from Fairfield. Shocked, you ask why, and realize the reason behind it is…unpaid parking tickets.
For the new semester, the university security will crack down on parking violators and remind them of the rules established in the handbook. Any person who violates the law more than five times gets their car towed, as well as a $50 surcharge in addition to the regularly published fine; there’s no passing go, no collecting $200. This time around, they mean business. Last year they towed 195 cars, and as much as they don’t want to, they have no troubles doing it again.
“Towing is a bit extreme because sometimes you really do need to get somewhere in a hurry,” said Michael Brosnan ’03, “but repeat offenders almost ask for it. It’s a pain when you can’t find a spot in a place where you’re supposed to park because someone is there illegally.” So what exactly is a parking violator? As your car is registered, it is designated to a specific color-coded parking lot, and it must always be parked there. If it is found in another area, including near the School of Business or the Quick Center, it will be ticketed. The other way to be an offender is if you are a freshman with a car on campus. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it; it is not allowed.
For this school year, the university has created almost 100 new parking spots for the convenience of the students.
“If we didn’t have the bark behind the bite, the parking situation would not be what it is,” said Associate Director of Security Frank Ficko.
“I can see why security wants to crack down, but parking is so limited that sometimes you can’t find spots even in your designated section. Violations aren’t always just black or white, so towing seems like too much,” said Becky Hilliker ’03.
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