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FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
Parking tickets are common occurrences for students who misunderstand the parking restrictions on campus.
KU Parking launches parking ticket forgiveness quiz
AMELIA ARVESEN news@kansan.com
Even with one parking ticket, it's now possible for students to keep a perfect record with the launch of the Parking Ticket Forgiveness Quiz earlier this week.
Within 10 business days of receiving a first-time parking ticket, students now have the chance to clear their names with an online quiz of 20 multiple choice questions. After completion, the quiz is sent to KU Parking & Transit for review within five business days.
"It's an extension of our appeal process that makes it a more positive interaction,"
said Margretta de Vries, an administrative professional with KU Parking & Transit. "We're often viewed as the bad guys on campus."
Parking ticket forgiveness only applies to a first offense, while the appeal process is available for anybody for any citation within 10 days of receiving a ticket.
Last year, 33,990 parking tickets were issued, totaling $818,665. de Vries said the quiz was designed to teach students how to park on campus to prevent future tickets.
It's intended to be educational and interactive, keeping students up-to-date on parking rules and regulations across campus. Even students not
issued tickets are encouraged to brush up on their knowledge.
The quiz covers all topics regarding parking, but only Group 1 violations are eligible
nearty every question offers a hint with a hyperlink directing users to the related section of the rules and regulations with the correct answer. Questions
"It's an extension of our appeal process that makes it a more positive interaction. We're often viewed as the bad guys on campus."
MARGRETTA DE VRIES KU Parking & Transit admininsitive professional
for clearance. These include parking without a permit in a restricted zone, improper permit display and parking over the stall lines.
It takes about 20 minutes, and
can be answered multiple times until the student scores 100 percent. A brief explanation is included once the correct answer is chosen.
"A lot of frustration is due
CAMPUS
to a lack of knowledge about parking options that exist," said Sarah Coughlan, an administrative assistant with KU Parking & Transit. "The questions will give people the opportunity to familiarize themselves with our website and learn more."
de Vries said she doesn't know how many tickets might be canceled yet, because the focus has been on the educational and functional aspects of the quiz instead.
Parking Ticket Forgiveness was originally an Ad Astra platform last year, and a current initiative of Student Senate Members worked closely with the parking and technology departments.
Chancellor addresses master plan, athletics fee, grad student insurance
"We were pleased to work with KU student leaders and KU Parking & Transit on this student-initiated project," said Bob Lim, chief information officer. "These types of collaborative projects between student government and University departments show KU's commitment to a welcoming campus environment for students."
As of Wednesday, five people have taken the quiz since it was added to Parking's appeal page on March 14. To take the quiz yourself and learn more about parking rules and regulations, visit www.parkingku.edu/ appeals.
MCKENNA HARFORD news@kansan.com
— Edited by Julie Etzler
Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little discussed a number of University-related issues on Wednesday, including the the master plan, the student athletic fee and the budget.
THE CAMPUS MASTER PLAN
The fifth master plan was unveiled on March 14, which includes projects to improve and expand science buildings and enhance the beauty of campus over the next decade.
school building renovations and renovations to Jayhawk Boulevard. They are also planning to build an energy and environment center.
"The excitement is that it has all these possibilities, but the challenge is how to get there and how to get the resources to get there," Gray-Little said.
STUDENT ATHLETIC FEE
The University has already started implementing the plan with the construction of new student housing, the business
The fee currently gives Athletics around $1.2 million a year, but Gray-Little said it's hard to determine how much
of this amount Athletics is receiving directly, because the department is also paying for the recreation center expansion.
She said the fee originated in a series of agreements made between the athletics department, the student body and previous chancellors to target things like student recreation center payments, athletic tickets and support for student athletes.
"The excitement is that it has all these possibilities, but the challenge is how to get there and how to get the resources to get there."
Earlier in the week, Gray-Little received the Student Senate resolution to cut the student athletic fee. She plans to review the proposal and respond in the near future.
BERNADETTE GRAY-LITTLE Chancellor
"I'll take into consideration the contractual agreements that Student Senate had with Athletics for sure, and the rec center expansion and things like that," Gray-Little said.
BUDGET TALKS The senate and the house
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
are currently working to pass a budget that the chancellor expects would restore some of the salary cuts made in 2013. However, the chancellor does not believe that the federal FICA refund will be returned. The refund, which comes from paying unnecessary social security tax from previous years, would have been used to help build a new medical building at the KU Medical Center.
Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little addressed several issues on Wednesday, including the campus master plan and the student athletic fee.
"Generally there has been an unwillingness [in the senate] to return the FICA money, which would be really critical to getting that done," Gray-Little said.
In addition, funding for a translational chemical biology institute, which was recommended by the governor as the University's major project that would contribute
scientifically and economically to the community, does not have much support, but the University is working to prove the project's importance.
"The TCBI is exactly the kind of project and effort that we are being encouraged to do, where you have work that is research
that also has the potential for economic benefit for the area," Gray-Little said.
SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
The Kansas Board of Regents'
workgroup passed a new
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STUDENT SENATE
Crimson and True candidates gear up for election
STUDYING: ARCHITECTURAL STUDIES
Student Senate Student Rights Committee chair
Sigma Pi fraternity member
Students for a Sustainable Future member
CLASSIFIEDS 2B
CROSSWORD 5A
CRYPTOQUIPS 5A OPINION 4A
SPORTS 1B
SUDOKU 5A
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