Representatives from AU's Graduate Leadership Council and the Washington College of Law's Student Bar Association voiced concerns about the vagueness of AU's off-campus parking policy in a meeting with administrators Thursday.
"There's nothing in writing in [AU's] 'good neighbor policy' that says, or that would even allude to, what students should do in regards to parking," said Zen Hunter-Ishikawa, executive chair of the GLC. "I realize that the university is taking the 'good neighbor policy' and applying it to parking. What students are asking for is ... to have [that interpretation] on paper so that students can review it."
AU's parking policy states that "in accordance with Washington, D.C., regulations and the university's 'good neighbor policy,' parking is restricted on the residential streets surrounding the main campus, Tenley campus and the Washington College of Law. All members of the university community - including students, faculty, staff, visitors and guests - are required to park on campus or to use public transportation."
AU students that park on residential streets surrounding the campus risk a $75 ticket. Students not enrolled at AU can park on most of streets for up to two hours, and Zone 3 permit holders can park for any amount of time.
A Zone 3 permit costs $72 to $115, according to the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles. When students register their cars at AU and pay $832 for a parking pass, they may no longer park on residential streets around campus without risking a ticket. The AU policy refunds the amount of the Zone 3 permit.
"In exchange for the discount, students agree not to use the Zone 3 permit while engaged in activities at the main campus, Tenley campus or the Washington College of Law," the policy states.
Tony Newman, director of Risk Management and Transportation, said he would make efforts to increase awareness of the current AU parking policy, but said it is difficult to define.
"We have nothing to hide with respect to the neighborhood parking policy. In fact, we would want to come up with more creative ways of letting you know [about the policy,]" Newman said, adding, "It's really hard to go into a lot of detail ... without providing a blueprint for how to get around the policy."
Newman said that defining the exact boundaries of the policy would encourage students to circumvent the rules.
"What we're trying to do is live up to the spirit of the zoning commission order. The ... order says that all university students are supposed to park on the campus," Newman said. "So if I tell you that we're only going to be ticketing on 46th street, then most of the students who are inclined to break the policy will only park on 47th street ... Those who are willing to comply with the policy, this doesn't bother because they're parking on campus anyway," Newman said.
Students are confused as to how AU defines a residential street and how it defines the area surrounding the campus.
Adam Cohen, a senator in the Student Bar Association, said that on a street like Massachusetts Avenue, there are homes but clearly the street is a main thoroughfare. He also points out that technically all of D.C. surrounds the campus.
"The policy is overly ambiguous and the administration refuses to define it. That's just not fair," Cohen said.
The students also voiced concerns about enforcement. They asked how Public Safety knows which cars belong to AU students or whether they're parked there for an AU-related activity or something unrelated to AU.
"We don't really have a neat way of doing it," Newman said. "We allow them to make an appeal and that's the best solution we've come up with."
Vice President of Campus Life Gail Hanson said "it's got that 'guilty until proven innocent' aspect to it."
Almost all students who appeal their first tickets are granted their appeal, and there are very few cases in which students received a second ticket, Newman said. He added that this means that once students are made aware of the policy with their first ticket, they will not likely violate it again.
Newman stressed the importance of keeping AU students off residential streets because AU's development depends on its relations with neighbors.
"There's a direct implication between our enforcement of this policy and neat little things we're allowed to do, like the Katzen Art Center," Newman said. "If we don't enforce the zoning laws, then we're going to have a problem getting permission from the city to do construction projects."
The D.C. Zoning Commission ruled that the administration must do all they could "within the law to limit students, staff and faculty from parking on residential streets," The Eagle previously reported.
Hanson said the policy is "counterintuitive" and thinks that an FAQ companion to the policy, with questions written by students, might help clarify and explain it.
Newman, Hanson and the students agreed that it would be helpful to publicize the policy.
When Newman was informed last week that the link to the parking policy at www.american.edu/finance/ts/parkpolicy.html wasn't working, he arranged for the site to be fixed within days.
He said that students receive a copy of the policy when they register their vehicles and that it is available in the student handbook and planner, which undergraduates receive. His office also offers brochures on the subject.
Leaders of the GLC, Student Bar Association and SC will voice their concerns to the Board of Trustees this Thursday.
