Campus Parking Guide

All student vehicles must be registered with the college. Registration is required and free. Parking permits (see next section) are separate from vehicle registration; permits allow the use of Student Parking Lots.

Students must register their vehicle by the first day of scheduled classes each semester. Students who obtain new license plates or a new vehicle must re-register. This includes temporary license plates. Students who are driving a loaned vehicle (while their primary vehicle is repaired, for example) must obtain a temporary permit (see next section).

To register a vehicle, use the new Vehicle Registration Form (new, online) and submit your information, including: motor vehicle license plate, number, and state; vehicle make, model, and color; student contact information. The new online form allows pre-payment online of the parking fee; otherwise, defer payment until you come in to pick up a parking permit sticker. There is no fee to simply register a vehicle with the College if you don’t intend to park in campus lots. A visit to the Business Office is otherwise required. The submitted online form can be processed by the Business Office when you arrive, they will verify the registration information, collect payment if necessary, and approve the registration resulting in a numbered permit sticker to be displayed within the rear window of your vehicle. If you are seeking on-campus parking privileges after hours or on a weekend for a new vehicle, please call Campus Security for assistance.

An unregistered student vehicle found on campus is subject to a $130 fine. Permits cannot be issued unless the vehicle has been registered and all outstanding parking fines have been paid. Once a vehicle is registered as a student vehicle or an employee vehicle, the vehicle will be treated as such on our campus regardless of who is driving. It is the registered owner’s responsibility to share this information with anyone to whom they loan their vehicle.

Please direct all questions regarding motor vehicle registration to the Business Office or Dean of Students Ryan Bolte.

All vehicles parked in student parking lots must display a current Bethany parking permit. Violators will be cited by Campus Security. Parking permits can be purchased at the Business Office. Students will receive a Campus Parking Guide brochure explaining the parking regulations of Bethany Lutheran College.

Motor vehicles must be registered (see previous section) prior to obtaining a parking permit. Permits cost $160 for on-campus students or $80 for commuter students. The fee must be paid in advance for the entire academic year. Half of the fee is refundable for students who do not return for spring semester, paid upon return of the permit to the Business Office. Permits cover one vehicle per student per academic year.

Permits allow use of Student Parking Lots 1, 2, 3 and 4. Commuter students with permits should use lots 4 or 11; if both of those lots are full, they may use lots 1, 2, or 3. All permits remain the property of Bethany Lutheran College.

Students are not permitted to use Event Parking (see section above) during events, even if they are attending the event, or Visitor Parking. This rule applies to students with and without parking permits.

All students with a vehicle are strongly encouraged to purchase a parking permit. Students without parking permits must park on public streets near campus and must abide by all City of Mankato parking regulations. Please note that the City of Mankato has a parking ordinance which prohibits parking in a single location for 24 hours; vehicles that are not moved daily may be cited by Mankato Police. See Mankato City Code Chapter 8, Section 8.05. Mankato also declares frequent Snow Emergencies during the winter, which requires vehicles to be removed from streets to facilitate plowing. Vehicles that are not moved from city streets during Snow Emergencies are cited and towed. A single citation and tow by the city may exceed the cost of a Bethany parking permit. Students who do not purchase a student parking permit may purchase a seven (consecutive) day parking pass for $7.

Parking permits are non-transferable. They are assigned to one specific individual and vehicle and may not be transferred from one vehicle to another. The parking permit must always match the registered owner and vehicle information on file in the Business Office. It is the registered owner’s responsibility to maintain current information on file with the Business Office. If you sell, junk, or permanently remove a vehicle from campus, the permit must be removed and returned to the Business Office. If you have an active parking permit and obtain a different vehicle, the replacement permit is available at no additional cost. The new vehicle must be registered with the Business Office.

Display the permit (except hang tags) in the rear window on the lower left-hand corner (driver side). Contact Dean of Students Ryan Bolte regarding alternative permit locations on specialty vehicles such as convertibles or pickups with removable toppers.

A vehicle found displaying a parking permit belonging to another vehicle, or an altered or fabricated permit will be subject to further penalties.

Students with a valid parking permit may obtain a free temporary parking permit for a second vehicle while their primary permitted vehicle is away from campus for repairs or other reasons. The second vehicle must be registered (see previous section) and a temporary permit will be granted. Only one of the two vehicles is allowed on campus at any given time. Temporary permits are hang tags which should be placed on the vehicle’s rear view mirror.

Students who are dependents of Bethany Lutheran College employees must purchase a student parking permit and park in student parking lots. A vehicle may only be issued one type of permit. If the dependent is the primary driver of the vehicle, the vehicle will require a student parking permit.

Short-term special parking requests due to special circumstances (medical, etc.) must be approved in advance by Campus Security.

Long-term special requests must be approved by Dean of Students Ryan Bolte. Long-term parking requests due to medical reasons may require a note from your doctor. No handicap parking privileges can be approved without a state issued Handicap plate or hang tag.

Campus Security will gladly escort students, staff, and visitors between locations on campus, such as escorting a student from a parking lot to their resident hall at night. To request an escort, call 507-344-7888 from your cell phone or a blue emergency phone in the student parking lots. This service is only offered on campus.

A Snow Emergency is a special event where parked vehicles must be moved to facilitate snow plowing during the winter.

The City of Mankato calls Snow Emergencies to clear public streets after many snowfall events. Vehicles parked on public streets are subject to city Snow Emergency ordinances. See the section on Public Street Parking (above) if you plan to park on public streets in Mankato. Note that students without permits may not park on campus during City Snow Emergencies. Students are responsible for keeping track of the City of Mankato snow emergency declarations when parking on public streets.

Separately, the College calls its own Snow Emergencies to clear snow from campus parking lots, but these are less frequent than city Snow Emergencies. Bethany Snow Emergencies will be announced in the Daily Bulletin, by e-mail, and on posters placed around campus. In most cases, notices will be placed 24 hours before the Snow Emergency goes into effect. Bethany Snow Emergencies will be scheduled for weekends if weather permits, or after 5 p.m. on weekdays.

During a Bethany Snow Emergency, student vehicles must be removed from all Student Parking Lots and may be parked in any other designated parking area (or on public streets, providing there is no concurrent city snow emergency).

Campus Security and Maintenance employees will assist students with removing vehicles if necessary (jump starts, etc.). Students unavailable to move their vehicles should ask a roommate or a friend to move the vehicle for them.

Vehicles that remain in student lots during a snow emergency will be issued a citation and towed by All American Towing, 465 Poplar Street, Mankato; (507) 345-5005. The vehicle owner is responsible for towing and impound costs and recovering the vehicle.

At the end of the Bethany Snow Emergency period, students must return their vehicles to student lots.

Campus Security will take the following actions for general parking violations:

• First, second, and third violations: $15 fine. As a courtesy, officers may at their discretion offer a verbal or written warning in lieu of a fine.
• All subsequent violations: $30 or double the fine.
• Students parking in visitor parking areas: $25 fine. Vehicle is subject to towing off campus.
• Handicap parking violation: $50 fine. Please note: If cited for handicap parking by any local law enforcement officer, the fine may be up to $200.
• Unregistered student vehicle: $130 fine and subject to immobilization (wheel lock).
• Wheel lock removal fee: Vehicles that have been immobilized with a wheel lock are subject to a $25 fee in addition to all other fines and fees.

Bethany reserves the right to increase any fine to $130 for any student parking violation committed when the student has failed to register the motor vehicle.

Parking fines must be paid to the Business Office within 14 days from the date and time of issue. The citation number or the license plate number is needed at the time of payment. Unpaid fines that go beyond the 14-day requirement become delinquent. These citations are listed as outstanding. All unregistered vehicles with an outstanding citation are subject to being immobilized with a wheel lock for nonpayment.

Parking citations are issued to the registered owner on file with the College. If a vehicle is loaned to a friend who is cited, the registered owner is responsible for the fine.

An immobilizing wheel lock may be used on vehicles with any outstanding citation from a prior academic year, or on student-owned vehicles that have not been registered with the College as required (see Student Parking section below). The wheel lock removal fee is $25 in addition to all outstanding fines. All fines and fees associated with the wheel lock are to be paid within 24 hours to the Business Office or Campus Security before the wheel lock will be removed. Nonpayment may result in the vehicle being towed off campus. Tampering or removing a wheel lock is a $75 fine along with damage costs and other possible sanctions.

The College may revoke a parking permit or remove a vehicle from campus when a pattern of noncompliance of parking rules and regulations is observed. Violators who have been cited more than 5 times within an academic year and have unpaid fines will not be allowed on campus parking privileges.

Nonpayment of fines may also result in being unable to pre-register as a student with Bethany Lutheran College or a hold being placed on a student’s account with the College.

Towing of vehicles off the College campus is done at the discretion of the Dean of Students. Towing will be considered for any of the following:

• Vehicles that are banned from the college campus
• During snow removal operations (see Snow Emergencies sections below).
• Students parking in visitor parking areas
• Student 10-minute parking violations
• Vehicles blocking or preventing free movement of other motor vehicle traffic, hazards, safety concerns, nonpayment of fines, a pattern of noncompliance of parking rules and regulations
• Parking in a restricted area or in visitor parking and employee parking areas between 2 and 7 a.m.

All towing will be done at the vehicle owner’s expense. Towing will be done by All American Towing, 465 Poplar Street (507) 345-5005.

Appeals

Individuals who believe they may have received a ticket in error or feel there are good reasons why they should not have received a ticket may appeal the decision. You must first contact Dean of Students Ryan Bolte to discuss the details surrounding the violation.

If the matter still goes unresolved, you have the right to submit an appeal within 14 days after the ticket has been issued. Fines and wheel lock fees must still be paid within the prescribed time period (14 days). The appeal form may be obtained from the Business Office or from Campus Security. The completed appeal form must be turned in to and signed by the Dean of Students.

The Parking Appeal Committee can only handle appeals for tickets issued by Bethany Campus Security. The committee has no jurisdiction over city/state infractions. If the appeal is decided in the violator’s favor, they will be reimbursed for any fines paid.