Parking Policy

Parking is open to all students and employees. This policy aims to ensure fair and accessible parking for all members of our community. While there are no specified parking zones, it is crucial to adhere to the guidelines outlined below.

No permit, sticker, or hangtag is currently required to park on campus. However, all students and employees are strongly encouraged to register their vehicles via the Housing & Campus Life Portal. Registering your vehicle allows Campus Safety to contact you directly if your vehicle is at risk of being ticketed or towed, is blocking snow removal, or needs to be moved for a special event — potentially saving you time and expense. Registration is free; simply navigate to housing.western.edu and register your vehicles in the Forms area.

Failure to adhere to any of these guidelines can result in enforcement and/or towing at the owner's expense.

Accessible Parking: Parking in designated accessible spots is strictly prohibited without a valid handicap placard or license plate decal. Violators may be subject to fines and towing.

Fair Use of Spaces: All students, whether residing on campus or commuting, are expected to park in a courteous and considerate manner, ensuring that vehicles do not obstruct traffic flow or impede others.

Compliance with Signage: Adhere to posted signs and markings, including fire lanes, no-parking zones, and any specific instructions.

Prohibited Parking: Drivers may not park on sidewalks, grassy areas, in driveways or rights-of-way, fire lanes, designated loading zones, or in hashed areas in designated parking lots.

ADA Parking

Western Colorado University reserves parking spaces for students, staff, faculty, and visitors with disabilities. An ADA permit must be displayed on the rearview mirror, the driver's side dashboard, or as a license plate. The university does not provide these permits. ADA parking permits must be applied for through the Department of Motor Vehicles or equivalent.

1. Violations: Violations of the parking policy may result in fines, towing, or other disciplinary actions.
2. Appeals Process: Students have the right to appeal parking citations. Information on the appeals process is available through the Campus Safety Office.
3. Warning Stickers: Campus Safety may issue warning stickers for parking violations by adhering the warning sticker to the vehicle's window. If a vehicle has been issued a warning sticker, it may be towed for future parking violations. See towing policy below for additional information.
4. Towing: Failure to adhere to campus policies and regulations regarding parking could result in towing at the owner's expense.

It is the responsibility of each student to familiarize themselves with and adhere to the campus parking policy. Ignorance of the policy will not be considered a valid excuse for violations.

Contact: For questions, permit inquiries, or assistance regarding campus parking, please contact the Campus Safety Department.

In the University Center lot, overnight parking is permitted only in the northern four (4) rows.

NO OVERNIGHT PARKING is permitted in the south two (2) rows closest to the University Center (including the Handicap/Emissions row) at any time. Trip coordinators must notify the Campus Safety Department if vehicles on authorized trips will be parked overnight in the UC and Quigley lots.

Overnight parking is limited to no longer than 72 hours. Cars parked longer than 72 hours may be stickered and/or towed at the owner's expense.

Camping or living in a vehicle is not permitted at any time on Western property. The parking of any type of trailer must receive approval from the Assistant Dean of Campus Safety and Security and must be parked in designated locations only. Trailers parked in lots without approval will be subject to towing.

The following lots have been designated as No Overnight Parking from 12:00 AM to 6:00 AM:

• Taylor Hall (including the south Borick Building lot)
• Paul Wright Gymnasium north lot (Except for May 15–August 1)
• University Center north lot per the guidelines listed above
• West Crystal/Ice Lab (by loading dock)
• Hurst East Lot
• Library parking lot (south row by sidewalk and black fence, posted)

If you have housing concerns or monetary issues that led to camping or living in a vehicle, please contact the Office of Student Affairs at 970.943.2232.

To best serve the entire campus community and ensure uninterrupted operations, the following vehicle towing policy is set forth. Vehicles are subject to tow-away by a bonded towing company for the following reasons:

• Abandoned vehicles (three days or longer in one spot, not including vacations, sporting events, or trips)
• Parking in No Overnight Parking areas between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.
• Parking in areas that create a danger to the safety and welfare of persons and property (e.g., fire lanes, service areas, traffic lanes, walkways, lawns)
• Parking in non-designated lots during vacation periods
• Parking in or obstructing spaces reserved for individuals with disabilities
• Obstruction of snow removal operations
• Trailers parked without the approval of the Assistant Dean of Campus Safety and Security in the appropriate designated areas

Vehicle maintenance is not permitted anywhere on campus. This includes changing oil or other fluids, or any other maintenance work.

Emergency roadside situations—such as changing a flat tire in a campus parking lot—are exempt from this restriction.

For any concerns with charging vehicles outside of a charging station at Taylor Hall, please contact the Campus Safety Department.

Students are not permitted to drive recklessly anywhere on campus, including in any campus parking lots.

Students caught driving recklessly—such as tailgating, running stop signs, performing donuts, speeding, overtaking in unsafe conditions, aggressive driving, distracted driving, reckless lane changes, joyriding, and/or street racing—will face disciplinary action.

This may include fines and a referral to the Gunnison Police Department for serious violations that cause injury to others or damage to property.