Parking

Purpose and Policy

The purpose of the campus parking policy is to establish and enforce regulations for the safety and welfare of students, employees, and visitors traveling to or parking on Mount Mercy University property.

Designated Parking Areas

Vehicles shall only be parked in those areas designated for the assigned permit, as listed in the following paragraphs. Parking is prohibited on all sidewalks, driveways, and fire lanes (campus roadways not specifically marked for parking are considered fire lanes); on any grass area; on parking stall lines; areas marked with a yellow “X;” the Sacred Heart Convent parking area.   Hazel Drive has been opened up for parking by the City of Cedar Rapids.

Please note, there are spaces marked for compact vehicles only. Regardless of manufacturer’s terminology, only a vehicle whose bumper is within the yellow line at the back of the space may park there.

If a permit holder leaves their vehicle on campus during breaks, it must be parked in the Lower Andreas Lot and must be registered with the Department of Public Safety.

Sacred Heart Convent

Sacred Heart Convent is the residence of many retired Sisters of Mercy and is private property, separate from Mount Mercy. Parking in any convent parking area is strictly prohibited.

Restricted Parking Areas

Mount Mercy reserves the right to close a campus parking area for institutional purposes. The University will endeavor to provide advanced notice when possible to the Mount Mercy community before an area is reserved by means of signs posted around campus, campus e-mail, and, if time permits, cones and signage.

Coe Agreement

A reciprocal agreement exists between Mount Mercy and Coe College to honor each other’s parking stickers. The parking sticker will be obtained where the student is enrolled. This agreement allows students of either institution to park in a designated area. Any person parking in a restricted area, for example, handicapped, loading zone, etc., or in an area for which the permit is not valid, will be ticketed according to the rules determined by the institution whose property is involved.

Liability Statement

Mount Mercy assumes no responsibility or liability for loss or damage to any vehicle or its contents operated or parked on campus. It is advisable to keep cars locked at all times. The parking regulations have been prepared by the Campus Safety and Security Committee.

Suggestions to improve the parking system on campus are welcomed by the Campus Safety and Security Committee and the Department of Public Safety. Any suggestions should be made to the committee or the Director of Public Safety.

Each member of the Mount Mercy community is responsible for being familiar with the information appearing in the Parking Policy. Failure to read the regulations will not be considered an excuse for noncompliance.

Vehicle Registration

All students, faculty, and employees are required to properly display a current Mount Mercy University parking permit when parking on campus. All permits have the expiration date printed on them and will only be honored during the valid time period. This permit allows, but does not guarantee, parking on campus in designated areas. Parking of all vehicles will be in designated spaces. Parking regulations are enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week in all parking areas, and tow away zones. Any fines accrued by the vehicle are the responsibility of the permit holder. The care of anyone who misappropriates a parking permit by means of theft or misrepresentation shall be handled under the Mount Mercy Code of Conduct.  In the event a student changes their status that would require them to get a different permit, they will have five (5) days to get the new permit type.  An example is a commuter student moving into Lower Campus, they will need to get a "L" permit within five (5) days. Visitors can contact the information desk to request a visitor pass prior to their visit.

The hang tag permits are issued to one person and cannot be transferred to other people.  The hang tag permit can be transferred to other vehicles owned/operated by the permit holder.  Each vehicle should be registered with Public Safety. Anyone utilizing another person's hang tag permit will be subject to citation under the no permit violation.

Additional permits can be obtained through the information desk.

Temporary, Visitor, and Alumni

Temporary and Visitor permits are available at the Information Desk. Alumni will now be issued visitor permits. All visitors are required to have a visitor parking pass/permit.  The permit should be displayed on the passenger side of the dashboard of the vehicle. Any student who moves onto campus and needs access to a different parking lot must re-register his/her vehicle at the Information Desk within five (5) days. Guest sponsors will be responsible for all citations received by the guest’s vehicle. Overnight visitors are to park in the 27th Street Lot or the Prairie Drive Lot.

Handicap Permits

Mount Mercy University provides handicapped parking for individuals with valid state issued permits. To obtain handicapped parking permission please contact the Iowa Division of Motor Vehicle for a State permit.

The number and location of handicapped parking spaces on the campus is mandated by the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and by the State of Iowa. By law these spaces cannot be used for any other parking. Motorists who park illegally in designated handicapped areas will receive a citation by either/or Mount Mercy and/or the State of Iowa.

Motorcycles and Mopeds

All operators of motorcycles and mopeds who park on campus must acquire a parking permit and affix to the vehicle. For assistance in appropriate display please contact the Department of Public Safety. Motorcycles and mopeds are allowed to park in regular vehicle parking areas and designated motorcycle parking areas.

Permit Categories

“R” Permits: Residential students living in Regina or McAuley

• The areas in the Prairie Drive lot NOT otherwise designated.

“L” Permits: Residential students living in Lower Campus or Andreas

• Lower campus lot (adjacent to apartments)
• Andreas lots (below Andreas House)

“C” Permits : Commuter students

• The areas in the Prairie Drive lot NOT otherwise designated.
• The 27th Street lot.
• Lower Andreas lot.

Commuters who park overnight on campus must park in the Prairie Drive lot, Lower Andreas, or the 27th Street lot. No commuter vehicle may be stored on campus for any length of time without prior authorization from the Director of Public Safety.

“E” Permits: Faculty/Staff

• Behind Warde Hall
• Drive in front of Warde Hall (Designated Areas)
• Prairie Drive lot
• The lot behind McAuley Hall
• The lot adjacent to the Busse Center (Designated Areas)
• The 27th Street lot
• The Andreas lots
• Designated Mercy Drive parking

“A” Permits: Alumni

• Alumni permits will no longer be honored.  Alumni will need to get a visitor's permit from the Information Desk or the Department of Public Safety.

Visitor

Visitors may park in the following areas:

• Spots designated on Warde Avenue
• Prairie Drive lot, but NOT in the spaces designated for faculty/staff
• 27th Street Lot
• Spots designated on Mercy Drive
• Overnight visitors can only park in the 27th Street Lot or Prairie Drive Lot

All visitors need a visitor's permit, which can be obtained from the Information Desk or the Department of Public Safety.

Violations, Citations, and Towing

Mount Mercy is private property, and the right is reserved to deny the use of campus parking areas to unauthorized persons and to those who frequently or flagrantly violate Mount Mercy parking regulations.

Student tickets will be billed to the student’s account. All academic credit, honors, and grades will be withheld until all fines are paid. Employee citation fees will be payroll deducted unless other arrangements are made with the Business Office.

Multiple tickets for the same offense can be issued if the violation is still occurring when the next round of ticketing is done, but no closer together than one hour.  The exception to this rule is the 30-minute zones on campus which may be ticketed every 30 minutes.

Repeat student violators of the parking rules and regulations will be subject to disciplinary action. Twelve or more citations in one academic year will result in probation. Fifteen, or more, parking citations will result in that person not being allowed to bring a vehicle on campus for the period of one year from the date of his or her parking privileges being revoked. Additional parking violations received following this period will result in the loss of all parking privileges.

Mount Mercy also reserves the right to have cars that are abandoned, disabled, non-registered, obstructing the path of emergency vehicle traffic, or threatening pedestrian safety to be towed away.  Cars must be moved at least once every thirty (30) days or they may be considered abandoned. Cars will be towed to a car storage firm in Cedar Rapids. The car owner will be responsible for all costs incurred by the towing firm. In the event that a car is moved after the towing firm has been notified, the owner will be responsible for the cost of the tow truck coming to campus.

Vehicle Removal and Enforcement Policy

A vital piece of the parking enforcement program is to identify vehicles that are unknown in the campus parking system or have received repeated parking citations. A “boot” list shall be maintained by the Department of Public Safety. When a boot is placed on a vehicle and Mount Mercy has a record of the owner of the vehicle, an email will be sent to the permit holder.

If located on university property, a vehicle on the "boot list" may have a vehicle immobilizer or “boot” placed on its tire until the person responsible for the vehicle has resolved all parking violations. Vehicles on the "boot list" may have the boot placed on their vehicle at any time including on the weekends. When the boot is placed on the vehicle, a bright orange notice will be placed on the windshield to notify the drive/owner of the boot placement. It will also provide information on how to contact the Department of Public Safety. Damage or theft of a boot will be billed to the violator.

Removal of the boot by the Department of Public Safety is contingent on payment of all outstanding fines and receipt of valid Mount Mercy University parking registration. Proof from the Business Office must be given to Public Safety Officer prior to boot removal. The Dean of Students or the Director of Public Safety may authorize the removal of the boot based on extraordinary circumstances.

Unknown Owner

A vehicle which does not carry a valid Mount Mercy parking registration and has received 3 or more unpaid parking citations which have not been addressed or appealed is eligible for a boot to be placed on it. The Department of Public Safety will determine when a vehicle should be booted and update the boot list.

Parking Violation / Citation Schedule is as follows:

MAJOR violations that will result in a $100.00 fine:

• Barred Vehicle
• Booted Vehicle
• Fire Lane/Driveway/Roadway
• Handicapped
   

MAJOR violations that will result in a $50.00 fine:

• No/Expired Permit
• Failure to Remove Car for Snow Removal

MAJOR violations that will result in a $25.00 fine:

• Abandoned vehicle (not moved at least once every 30 days)                       
• Parking in Admission Only
• Blocking Sidewalk/Crosswalk
• Convent (including garage)
• Failure to Stop for a Stop Sign
• Improper Registration 
• Loading/Unloading/30-minute Zones
• Not a Legal Space
• Parked over the Parking Stall Line
• Parking in lot not approved by permit
• Parked in Grass
• Reckless Driving
• Speeding
• Straddling Two Spaces
• Driving the Wrong Way in a One Way

MINOR VIOLATIONS THAT WILL RESULT IN A $20.00 fINE

• Reserved/Restricted Parking

MINOR violations that will result in a $10.00 fine:

• Commuter Parked Overnight
• Compact Parking
• Motorcycle Parking Only

Citation Appeals

If a person chooses to appeal a citation received for a violation, an appeal form may be filled out on the Mount Mercy University website.

Appeal forms must be completed on-line. All appeals must be submitted within seven (7) calendar days of the violation. Appeals not made within seven (7) calendar days will be automatically rejected.

The appeal form must be completely filled out. The page number and the information from the current Good Book that apply to the citation must be cited. A person must explain why he/she was not in violation. If sufficient information is not given, the appeal will be denied.

The Appeals Committee is a subcommittee of the Campus Safety and Security Committee and consists of one student, Facilities Director, and one faculty/staff member. The committee has the power to alter the monetary amount of each fine. The decisions of the Appeals Committee are final. Persons who file appeals will be notified by the committee of decisions relating to their appeal. All appeal responses are sent to the Mount Mercy email account listed on the appeal form.

If a student wishes to contest a charge on a Mount Mercy bill, the student must submit a copy of the bill along with a written statement outlining what charge is being contested and why it should not appear on the bill. The Director of Public Safety will investigate the charge and notify the person in writing as to the outcome of the investigation.