Once a student has accumulated 10 paid or unpaid parking tickets, the college is at liberty to have their vehicle towed, according to the Geneseo Traffic and Parking Violations webpage. This policy is unreasonably harsh and should be amended by the college immediately.
First and foremost, if the student has already compensated the college and paid for their infractions, the college has no business towing their vehicle. It’s up to that student to decide if it’s worth it to continue paying pricey tickets to park in unauthorized areas.
In addition, towing to teach students a lesson is ineffective because the problem is bigger than simply parking in the wrong spaces. Geneseo is infamous for its lack of parking, especially on the north side of campus. If the college really wants to prevent students from parking in unauthorized places, they should begin by offering more accessible lots.
While it makes perfect sense to tow vehicles that are blocking traffic or emergency lanes, towing a student’s car that is harmlessly sitting in the wrong spot or next to an expired meter is pointless.
The college benefits in no way from towing students’ vehicles. By issuing tickets, they at least have the possibility to make a profit. Sending vehicles across town where students must shell out ridiculous amounts of money to a private business doesn’t serve Geneseo at all.
Geneseo prides itself on being a home away from home for students. In order to do this, they need to treat students with more compassion and courtesy.
The added stress of dealing with insufficient parking and the threat of towing does not make students feel comfortable here and the college would be wise to amend their towing policy accordingly.