For over 16 years, the parking appeals committee have gathered to listen to students voice their opposition on their parking fines and promote freedom of speech.

According to the Pierce College website, the College Parking Appeals Committee may impose a lesser fine, void the ticket or it may grant extension of time within which to comply with its determination and findings.

“After students receive a parking fine on campus, they can go to the Campus Safety Office to appeal their ticket. The staff review the fines and send some to the appeal process. A few tickets are dismissed because campus safety officers can make mistakes on filling out their forms properly,” Campus safety supervisor, Ben Gomes said.

“Most people want to appeal their fines on the next designated parking appeals date,” Gomes said.

The Parking Appeals Committee is made up of three faculty and staff members and four student members. The students have the majority of seats on the committee. The director of student programs contacts faculty or staff interested in being part of the committee. Then the student government committee senator will recruit the students based on interest and a letter stating why the student would make a good candidate for the committee. The campus safety officer is present during the parking appeals dates, but is the only non-voting member.

“The committee was created on campus as a method of a judicial system and to give students the chance to voice their appeals,” Director of Student Programs Cameron Cox said.

“We are looking for students that are committed and they can contact the student government committee senator to see if they are interested in becoming part of this process,” Cox said.

Student Government Committee Senator Veronica Garcia believes each appeal is different from the next, and the committee must make fair decisions.

Twice a month, the committee must gather at Olympic 208 in the afternoon and review each case. A campus safety officer representative presents the parking tickets and written statements from students and campus safety officers. During the review process, students wait outside the room.

Each person is called upon one at a time to present his or her case. After the appeal is addressed, the student leaves the room. The committee speak amongst each other to determine if the student should pay full, partial, or none of the parking ticket fine based on the appeal given. The majority of the votes determine what the fine is.

The student returns to the room to receive their judgement on the fine. If the student has to pay a full or partial fine, they must go to the Cashier’s Office within 24 hours. It is recommended for the students to pay the fine in the morning because the Cashier’s Office has to process the new parking tickets.

“I think the parking appeals process are beneficial for students because they get to fight for what they believe is fair and just,” Student Chris Carrigan said.

For more information on The Parking Appeals Committee, contact Veronica Garcia at 253-964-6222 or visit Sunrise Building, Room 114.

To appeal a parking ticket, visit the Campus Safety Office at Cascade Building, Room 311

For more information on Campus Safety/Traffic/Parking rules, visit the website: http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/studentlife/safety/parkingrules