ARTICLE I: GENERAL REGULATIONS
SECTION 1. By approval of the Western Carolina University Board of Trustees under authority of North Carolina Statute 116-44.4, the provisions of Western Carolina University Parking and Traffic Regulations shall apply to the operators of all vehicles, whether public or private, and these rules and regulations shall be in force twenty-four (24) hours a day, except as herein provided. It shall be unlawful for any operator to violate any of the provisions of these rules and regulations, except as otherwise permitted in the regulations or by the General Statutes of North Carolina .
SECTION 2. The operator of any vehicle shall obey the lawful instructions of any officer and of any official traffic sign or control device applicable thereto placed in accordance with the provisions of these regulations, unless otherwise directed by an officer. These regulations are in force whether or not specific traffic signs are used. The responsibility of finding a legal parking space rests with the motor vehicle operator. Lack of space is not considered an excuse for violation of any parking regulation. The Director of the WCU Police Department shall be responsible for causing the signs, signals, and marking necessary to implement these regulations to be erected, established, and maintained.
SECTION 3. No person shall without lawful authority attempt to or in fact, alter, deface, injure, knock down, or removal of any official traffic or parking control sign or device or any inscription, shield, or insignia thereon or any other part thereof. Violators will be subject to a $50 fine in addition to the cost of replacement and/or repair of these signs.
SECTION 4. The Director of the WCU Police Department, in acting pursuant to the authority vested in him by these regulations, shall exercise his discretion and authority in such a manner as to accommodate the proper conduct of the necessary business of the University and assure effective utilization and control of the available parking areas and facilities on the campus for the maximum benefit of students, faculty, staff and visitors.
SECTION 5. The definitions of all terms used in these regulations shall be those provided in Section 20-4.01 and other applicable sections of the General Statutes of North Carolina insofar as they are provided. The meaning of other terms shall be as follows:
ACADEMIC YEAR: The academic year begins in August at the opening of the fall semester and concludes in August at the end of the Summer II semester. Regular day classes are scheduled Monday through Friday. Night and Saturday classes, usually meeting once a week, are available in Cullowhee, Asheville , Cherokee, and various other locations.
CAMPUS: All property owned by or leased to Western Carolina University that includes property owned by the Board of Trustees of the Endowment Fund of Western Carolina University.
CHANCELLOR: The Chancellor of Western Carolina University .
CROSSWALK: That portion of a roadway ordinarily included within the prolongations of connection of the lateral lines of sidewalks at intersections, or any portion of a roadway distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other markings on the surface.
DIRECTOR OF THE WCU POLICE DEPARTMENT: That person designated by the Chancellor who shall be responsible for administering, implementing, and enforcing the provisions of these regulations, except where another person or persons is specified in the regulations.
EMPLOYEE: Any Western Carolina University faculty or staff member regardless of whether the employment is full- or part-time, or any employee of any contractor or vendor who is contracted, licensed, or otherwise authorized to conduct business with the University. This definition shall not include student workers or employees, graduate assistants, or teaching assistants.
FACULTY: The faculty shall consist of these persons who shall be approved by the Board of Trustees of Western Carolina University for faculty status at the rank of instructor or above, or as further provided by the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina .
HANDICAPPED SPACE: A parking space, including the access aisle designated for legally handicapped. Such vehicles must display either a handicapped license tag or nationally recognized handicapped decal or placard.
HANDICAP ACCESS: Those areas providing individuals with mobility disabilities access to sidewalks, doorways, and buildings.
INTERSECTIONS: The area embraced within the prolongation of the lateral curb lines or, if none, then the lateral boundary lines of two or more highways, streets, or roadways crossing the other.
LOADING ZONE: A space designated for the VISIBLE loading and unloading of materials and other items.
NO PARKING ZONE: Areas that are crosshatched and/or identified by signs stating "No Parking."
OPERATOR: The word "operator" as used in this article, shall mean and include every individual who shall operate a vehicle as the owner thereof, or as the agent, employee, or permittee of the owner, or is in actual physical control of a vehicle.
PARKING: The standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while visibly engaged in loading and unloading from a designated parking area.
PARKING AREA: Any place or area set aside, marked, or intended for parking of vehicles, either permanently or temporarily.
SERVICE VEHICLE: Any vehicle owned or leased by the University or other governmental entity or private vendor conducting business with the University.
SERVICE VEHICLE SPACES: Those spaces marked by signs stating "Service Vehicle" or "Loading --Unloading Zone."
SHORT-TERM PARKING: Parking for one hour or less or as designated by signage.
SIDEWALK: All the property along or by any street, highway, or roadway which is intended for pedestrian use and which lies between the curb line or lateral line of any street, highway, or roadway and the line at which use of property for purposes other than pedestrian traffic use begins.
SPEED LIMIT: 20 miles per hour on campus roadways unless otherwise designated. 10 miles per hour in parking lots.
STAFF MEMBER: Administrative officers, clerical force, maintenance employees of the University employed full or part-time.
STOP: When required, means complete cessation of movement. When prohibited, means any stopping of a vehicle except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of an officer or traffic control sign or signal.
STREET, HIGHWAY, OR ROADWAY: The entire width of every way or place of whatever nature designated or marked by proper authorities for vehicular traffic.
STUDENT: A person registered for full or part-time academic study, including special students on the undergraduate or graduate level other than staff members of the University.
SUMMER SESSION: Sessions held during Summer in Cullowhee and Asheville . Includes credit, non-credit, seminars and workshops.
UNIVERSITY: Unless otherwise provided, Western Carolina University .
VEHICLE: Every device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon by a highway. For the purposes of the article, bicycles and mopeds shall be deemed vehicles, and every rider of a bicycle on the campus shall be subject to the provisions of the regulations governing traffic.
VISITOR - Any individual not classified as faculty, staff, or student.
WALK OR WALKWAY: A way designated for or marked by proper authorities for exclusive use of pedestrians along a roadway or not.