This vehicle code applies to all who operate a vehicle on property owned and operated by Vanguard University of Southern California (VUSC). The Department of Campus Public Safety administers and enforces the rules and regulations contained in this code. The California Vehicle Code (VC 21113) gives VUSC the authority to enforce parking regulations on VUSC property. California Vehicle Code (VC 22658 a) also gives VUSC the authority to remove vehicles from university property that are not in compliance with VUSC regulations. These regulations are enforced throughout the year.

The operation of motorized vehicles, bicycles, in-line skates, scooters, motorized scooters, skateboards, hover-boards and Segway’s (alternative transportation) on VUSC property is a privilege. VUSC expects the vehicle owner or driver to be responsible for maintaining the vehicle and safe operation of the vehicle. The privilege to operate a vehicle on campus may be revoked by VUSC if the operator is deemed to be a hazard to pedestrians, vehicles, property, or the vehicle is not properly maintained. The following regulations have been adopted by VUSC to maximize the safety and convenience of students, employees, and guests on campus.

VUSC will not assume responsibility for the loss of money or personal belongings or for damages done to property belonging to any individual (including bicycles, motor vehicle, and other personal property items). Students are encouraged to take reasonable precautions to protect their personal property, as there is no institutional coverage for the repair or replacement of student's property, including reimbursements for insurance deductibles. Insurance coverage for personal property is often available under homeowners' insurance policies and students are encouraged to consult their parents to determine existing coverage. Personal property plans are also available for purchase from many insurance companies.

The University strongly discourages rough behavior or any action that could pose a risk of harm or injury to other people. The University is not liable for any injury that occurs during an authorized, unsupervised, or unauthorized activity. The University requires students to demonstrate that they have appropriate health insurance in order to enroll at VUSC. In the event of an injury during a University sponsored activity, the student's personal medical policy will be considered the primary source of medical coverage.

The intent of these regulations is to make parking on VUSC property safe for students, employees, and guests. VUSC may restrict parking from specific areas over the course of the school year. The use of traffic cones, barricades, or yellow traffic tape may be used to post restricted areas. The community will be notified of the intent to restrict parking including the dates and times whenever possible. If you notice parking spaces have been obstructed please park in another location.

At times, parking on campus may be limited around some buildings. Please plan to arrive early for classes or meetings. A late arrival or lack of parking is not an excuse for placing the safety of other individuals at risk. Possession of a parking permit does not include reserved parking. Emergency flashers activated on illegally parked vehicles will not excuse the violation. Campus Public Safety (949) 244-0098 will escort persons to vehicles, classes, and buildings upon request.

Individuals who intend to drive a vehicle on campus must register their vehicle(s) online with Campus Public Safety. Student parking permits are valid two weeks prior to the start of instruction. Annual student parking permits are valid at the start of summer session and end with the spring semester. Employees must register each vehicle they intend to drive on campus. Employees should notify the Campus Public Safety Office when vehicles are sold or purchased. Permits issued to employees do not expire until employment with VU ends or ownership of the vehicle (s) change.

The person to whom the permit is issued will be held liable for all traffic or parking violations. The owner of the vehicle must notify the Campus Public Safety Office when a vehicle is sold or traded. The owner of the vehicle or responsible person registering the vehicle with Campus Public Safety must indicate on the registration form that they are in compliance with California's financial responsibility law. Vehicle owners must produce proof of insurance for the registered vehicle, and a valid Driver's License upon request by Campus Public Safety Officers.

All vehicles must be parked in marked stalls. Any vehicle that is parked in an area not specifically marked for vehicle parking is considered parked in a "No Parking Zone, Parked in the Road, or Fire Lane." The absence of, "No Parking" signs does not mean that parking is allowed.

Vehicles may not be stored on campus. Students who return home for the summer must remove their vehicle from campus unless express permission had been given by Campus Public Safety. The vehicle must be registered on the summer vehicle list located at the Campus Public Safety Office. Students who participate in university sponsored events (music tours, mission trips) may make arrangements for short-term storage by contacting Campus Public Safety. Vehicles stored for summer or sponsored events must be parked in lots designated by Campus Public Safety. Any vehicle deemed to be abandoned will be towed off campus at owner's expense.

All vehicles must be in working condition. If a vehicle is found to be non-operational the registered owner will be notified of non-compliance with the Traffic and Parking Regulations and be given a two-week notice to bring the vehicle into compliance. Vehicles may be towed off VUSC property if not brought into compliance even if the vehicle displays a proper permit. An unregistered vehicle which appears to be abandoned will be issued a 72-hour tow notice. The citation may be the only notice the owner(s) of these vehicles will receive of the intent to tow the vehicle off Vanguard University property.

RVs (Recreational Vehicles) may not be used as personal vehicles. RVs may be used on campus by reservation through the Event Relations Department. Spaces are rented based on availability. Event Relations will coordinate with Campus Public Safety when recreational vehicles are parked on campus.

All faculty, staff, and students parking on VUSC property must display a valid parking permit. The purpose of the permit system is to track which vehicles are allowed on campus. Without a permit system vehicles that have been abandoned or persons having multiple vehicles on campus would be taking up parking stalls for others to use. Vanguard University faces a shortage of parking stalls and each stall is valuable in terms of resources. Student parking permits are valid two weeks prior to the start of instruction. Annual student parking permits are valid at the start of summer session and end with the spring semester.

VUSC employees must register each vehicle they intend to operate on VUSC property. Married students with two vehicles may register both vehicles, however, only one vehicle may be parked on campus at one time.

Proper Display of Parking Permits

Please ensure your permit is properly displayed in order to avoid a citation. Permits are to be suspended from the vehicle’s rearview mirror, facing the windshield and in full view. Temporary permits should place on the center dashboard of the vehicle, face up, fully visible, and not obstruct the vehicle identification number.

If you are an invited guest of the University and parking will be provided to you, please contact the person or department you will be visiting for a permit and parking instructions.

Students who invite family or friends to visit the university or intend to spend the night on campus please visit the Campus Public Safety department for a temporary parking permit.

Displaying a valid parking permit does not guarantee one a place to park. If a parking space is not available in a preferred lot, you must find a valid parking space in another parking lot.

Event Attendees

If you are attending an event on campus, please consult with your event host for parking instructions. You must have a valid permit to park on campus.

Current and former students, alumni, and staff members do not qualify as a visitor and may not park in visitor parking areas. Only visitors to the university may park in visitor parking area displaying a visitor permit.

Vehicle owners are responsible for the alarms on their vehicles. The California Vehicle Code mandates that alarms that are sounding without resetting or continue to go into alarm within 500 feet of any school, college, or university may be towed away at the owner’s expense.

The institution reserves the right to impose limitations on parking in emergencies or on special occasions. Vehicles illegally parked in areas imposed by these limitations may be towed at the owner’s expense. Cones, barricades, and or yellow tape will be used to designate these limitations.

Due to E.P.A. regulations and to preserve the campus, oil changes and car washes are not permitted on campus.

No person shall abandon, wreck, dismantle, or render inoperable a vehicle on Vanguard University property. Any vehicle found in such condition for a period of 72-hours or more shall be considered a public nuisance and may be towed away at the owner’s expense.

All vehicles operated on the VUSC campus must be registered with Campus Public Safety. California Vehicle Code allows for a small area of window space to display stickers. VUSC recommends displaying one VUSC permit at one time.

Violation of registration may include the following:

1. No permit
2. Invalid permit
3. Permit improperly displayed
4. Permit displayed is registered to another vehicle

Parking violations may include but are not limited to the following:

1. Parked in a fire lane
2. Parked in road
3. Parked on a lawn
4. Parked in Disabled Parking Stall without displaying disabled parking placard or DMV issued disabled license plate or blocking wheelchair access
5. Parked on a crosswalk or designated pedestrian walkway
6. Thirty-minute zone and Fifteen-minute zone violations
7. Temporary "No Parking Zone" indicated by cones, ropes, flags, or barricades indicating no parking or stopping. These are for special use, events, or other university use
8. Parked in Reserved parking
9. Parking in more than one parking space. (Over-sized vehicles [moving vans, vehicles with trailers, RVs] are exempt from obtaining permission through Campus Public Safety or Facility Resources)
10. Parking in an unassigned parking lot
11. Loading zone violation

Other Violations may include the following:

1. Reckless driving
2. Failure to stop at a stop sign
3. Driving on the wrong side of the road
4. Speeding (exceeding 15 MPH)
5. Texting or talking on mobile phones while driving.

**Violations are accumulative and tracked by Campus Public Safety. Vehicle owners who accumulate more than three violations risk having the vehicle towed off campus at the owner's expense and the loss of their driving privilege on VUSC property. VUSC reserves the right to increase the fine schedule per violation at any time. VUSC will notify the community of the change in the schedule and the date the new schedule will begin.

Payment of a fine may be paid online. Citations may be appealed to the Hearing Officer within seven calendar days.

The following is a list of our current fine structure

• With the regulations set forth in this document. If a vehicle is to be relocated Campus Public Safety will attempt to locate the owner of the vehicle. If the owner cannot be easily located the vehicle will be moved and the owner will be responsible for all applicable fees. Any vehicle that does not display a parking permit after the one week grace period may be towed. The Officer has the authority to relocate or tow a vehicle.

VUSC reserves the right to remove (tow) the following vehicles from its property for the following reasons:

1. Any vehicle that is deemed to be parked in such a manner as to constitute a hazard to other vehicles or blocks other legally parked vehicles.
2. Any vehicle that impedes the operation of any emergency equipment or prohibits VUSC employees from making planned or emergency repairs or deliveries.
3. Any vehicle illegally parked in disabled parking spaces, fire lanes, reserved parking spaces, in the road, parked in no parking zones, on lawns or sidewalks, or other violation deemed to pose a hazard to the community.
4. Any vehicle that appears to be non-operational, abandoned or has accumulated more than three violations.

The owner or operator will be responsible for all costs involved in removing, impounding, or storing a vehicle that is relocated or removed from campus. Vanguard University assumes no liability or responsibility for any damages to any vehicle that is removed from VUSC or relocated, or for the contents of any vehicle relocated or towed. The suspension of parking privileges on VUSC is deemed to be the ultimate deterrent to these regulations. The privilege to park on VUSC may be revoked or placed on probation for the following reasons:

1. Accumulation of multiple parking violations
2. Reckless driving
3. Failure to cooperate with Campus Public Safety officers
4. Failure to have valid vehicle insurance
5. Obtaining a parking permit for other students not eligible to possess a VUSC parking permit
6. Using or displaying a Disabled Parking placard in violation of California Vehicle Code. The placard will be confiscated and returned to the issuing state with a letter of the abuse.

The probationary period will last for a period of no less than 30 days and no more than one semester. Suspended driving privileges will only be reinstated at the request of the Vice President of Business and Finance.

A Parking Citation can be appealed online within seven (7) calendar days of receiving the ticket. If the appeal is denied, a student may request a review of the appeal by the Assistant Director of Campus Public Safety. The Assistant Director of Campus Public Safety will have the final decision for Parking Citation Petitions.

Appeals must include the name and student identification number of the registered owner, a return address and phone number, the citation number, date of the citation, and the reason for the appeal. Appeals not submitted within the seven-day period will not be considered. Appeals must be based on verifiable evidence. Lack of knowledge of VUSC Traffic and Parking Regulations or California Vehicle Code is not adequate justification for appeals. Please allow 30 days for an appeals process. Persons not satisfied with the decision may submit a second appeal to the Assistant Director of Campus Public Safety. This appeal must contain the original appeal and the decision of the Hearing Officer. The Assistant Director of Campus Public Safety will have the final decision on subsequent appeals.

Appeal a citation

Bicycles must be stored and locked to bike racks provided by VUSC. Any bike found locked to trees, lamp posts, fences, handrails, gas lines or another object not designed as a bike rack, will be removed by Campus Public Safety Officers at the owner’s expense. Motorized skateboards powered by a combustible fuel source may not be stored in the resident’s room.

VUSC is not responsible for the loss, damage or theft of bicycles. Bicycles are required by Costa Mesa Code to display bicycle permits. Bicycles may be registered at the Campus Public Safety Office, or bike owners may obtain permits through the Costa Mesa Police Department.

Due to the potential for property damage and in the interest of safety and comfort of all University members, the use of roller blades, roller skates, bikes, scooters, skateboards, hover boards and Segway are prohibited inside campus buildings and elevators, including residence facilities and lobbies. Limited use of such is permitted on driveways, parking lots, and sidewalks (with the exception of those around the residence halls and within ten feet of a building). Use of courtyards (for example, Needham Chapel, Tower Lobby, Scott Academic Center) is prohibited. Riders shall refrain from riding on railings, benches, or otherwise damaging University property. Riders are responsible for the damages they cause to any persons or University property. Riders should use caution, maintain a safe speed and distance from buildings and people, and are encouraged to wear head and body protection when riding on campus. The University is not responsible for injuries suffered while riding roller blades, roller skates, bikes, scooters, or skateboards on campus. Replica motorcycles (mini-bikes) are not allowed on VUSC property. Failure to abide by these policies may result in disciplinary action.