Carla Salazar

Starting Sept. 9, back-in parking is no longer permitted because the parking permit is not visible to security officers when they drive by, according to Dennis Hall.

Texas Wesleyan security implemented new parking regulations for the fall semester and they are moving to start issuing citations to those who violate the new rules.

On Sept. 9, warnings for the new parking regulations were supposed to end and citations issued according to Head of Security Chris Beckrich in an email sent out on Sept. 6. 

“Campus security and I started working out a plan last August where we started auditing all the parking lots, counting all the cars that were parked and we put together a plan,” Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students Dr. Dennis Hall said.   

Students are not allowed to park on campus without a parking permit on their vehicle from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. A few highlights of the changes include: 

• Faculty and staff parking lots will change from assigned spots to first-come, first-served. 
• Students are not allowed to park on campus without a parking permit on their vehicle. 
• Parking permits should be affixed to the driver’s side of the rear window of the vehicle. 
• All parking must be front-in, and back-in is no longer permitted. 
• Residential parking permits will not permit students to park in commuter parking lots. 

Parking stickers can be picked up for non-residential students at the Division of Student Affairs – 2nd floor Martin University Center. Residential students need to get their parking permits from their Resident Life Coordinator (RLC). 

Examples of parking violations include:  

1. Handicapped Parking, $75 
2. Not registered vehicle or failure to display sticker, $50 
3. Faculty/Staff Parking Space, $50 
4. Visitor Parking Space, $30 
5. No Parking zone/Loading Zone/Grassy Area, $30 
6. Blocking Vehicles: Roadway/Walkway, $30 
7. Parking in Fire Lane, $75
8. Occupying Two Spaces, $30 
9. Reuse of Old Citation, $50
10. Other, $30

Hall and the Office of Security held round table discussions throughout the Spring 2024 semester. Through their discussions, they were able to allocate 100 parking spaces for students.  

Claudine Myles , circulation coordinator of the West Library, said she parks on the west side of campus in Lot M and the change in faculty parking hasn’t impacted her  

“Yesterday, I came in late, around 11:30 [am], and I was still able to find a parking spot in the same parking lot,” Myles said. “I have no issue with it.” 

The new parking regulations have been in the works since August of last year after Hall observed that there were many issues with past parking such as students having to park in the neighborhood’s streets, students not feeling safe leaving their vehicles due to break-ins, and parking in faculty parking.   

First–year kinesiology major Anthony Martinez is a commuter who struggles with finding parking on the east side of campus, said he often has to park in the neighborhood’s street.  

“I don’t really have a big problem with parking regulations right now, they do need to be better, though, for commuters,” Martinez said. “They didn’t really specify where we’re supposed to park and whatnot.” 

Junior business finance major Jamil Bowers is a commuter who parks on the east side of campus and said the parking regulations have helped open more parking spots, despite the ability to back-in was taken away.   

“Last semester was a lot worse,” Bowers said. “I do still think we need more or bigger parking lots, but I believe the new regulations have helped a lot.” 

For more information, visit the Campus Security website. Hall and the Division of Student Affairs have a student voice form where students are able to give feedback on parking and other topics.