Parking Information
Campus Safety is responsible for the registration of motor vehicles that park on College property, for the issuing of parking permits, and for the enforcement of parking regulations. The Business Office is responsible for the collection of parking fines. "Motor vehicle" refers to any motorized conveyance as described by the Vehicles Law of Illinois. The term includes cars, trucks, campers, motorcycles, and motor scooters.
The College cannot be responsible for the safety or protection of motor vehicles, or their contents, while parked on College property or on city streets.
The Parking Privilege
The parking system is designed to administer and protect the parking privileges of registered permittees. Eligibility is restricted to faculty, students, staff, and sponsored visitors.
Vehicles not displaying a valid parking permit or decal may be subject to towing unless special arrangements have been made with Campus Safety.
While the parking privilege for permittees can be protected (through enforcement of rules), it cannot be guaranteed. The College reserves the right to suspend parking privileges for cause at any time.
From time to time, special meetings and situations may demand use of certain College parking lots or spaces (i.e., meetings of the Trustees, Commencement, construction, snow removal, etc.) Notice of such events will be given whenever possible to reduce inconvenience to regular users of such lots.
By signing an application for parking (or acknowledging acceptance via website), each person who applies for parking privileges agrees that neither Knox College nor any of its officers or employees is responsible for injury to persons nor for the theft of, or damage to, vehicles or their contents, while parked on College property. Each person agrees to follow the parking regulations of Knox College when utilizing the parking available on campus.
Vehicles must be operated in a prudent manner relative to conditions of the road or lot, weather, time of day, etc., while on College property. Responsibility for any liability resulting from the location or operation of a motor vehicle on College property rests with the operator or owner and not with the College. The person who registers a vehicle is responsible for assuring that the vehicle, regardless of who drives it, is driven and parked in accordance with these regulations.
Parking Permits 
All persons who wish to park a motor vehicle on College property should complete a parking application or verification form and return it to Campus Safety. Forms are also available at Campus Safety. Application should be made within 24 hours of bringing a motor vehicle to campus.
- Issuance of Parking Permits
Parking permits will be issued from the Campus Safety office 24 hours a day, as well as during new student registration. - Display of Parking Permits
The parking permit identification is a window decal. It should be placed inside the upper corner of the driver’s side windshield. Displaying the permit anywhere else on the vehicle may result in its being overlooked by Campus Safety officers and potential ticketing of the vehicle. A vehicle should not be considered registered until the permit is displayed, even if an application is on file. The decal should be permanently affixed to the window. - Notification of Change in Vehicle
Persons who change the vehicles, either temporarily or permanently, should register that new vehicle within 24 hours at the Campus Safety office. A new parking decal (either permanent or temporary) will be issued.
Special Parking
Special needs parking is reserved for individuals who have a particular need, based on their work or physical condition. There is handicapped parking available in most parking areas. These spaces include both the parking space and the adjacent unloading space, which is generally marked with painted diagonal lines. The handicapped parking sign is mounted in the center of both spaces. Illegal parking in either portion of the handicapped space may result in ticketing and/or towing. There are also several spaces reserved for service vehicles as well as two 30-minute parking spaces south of Seymour Library on W. Berrien Street.
Special events parking, conference parking, and all of the temporary parking requirements of the College must be scheduled and approved through the Campus Safety office by the College sponsor or host.
Reserved Parking
There are parking spaces marked as "Reserved Parking" located at Alumni Hall and in the parking lot behind 284 W. Tompkins Street. No vehicle may park in these spaces without express permission from the College. A standard campus parking permit is not considered sufficient to park in these spaces.
Visitor Parking
Parking for prospective students and parents who are visiting the Office of Admission is specially reserved in the south half of the Williston Hall parking lot, the Alumni Hall circle drive, and in the south-facing parking spaces adjacent to that building.
Parking arrangements for guests and visitors to the campus are the responsibility of the College sponsor or host. Visitors may be directed to use these designated spaces:
- The marked spaces in the westernmost row of the parking lot located on the 300 block of South Cherry Street, near the Heating Plant
- The marked spaces on the circle drive near the Ford Center for Fine Arts
- The large gravel parking lot located at the intersection of Depot, W. Berrien, and S. Prairie Streets
Students, staff and other non-visitors should avoid the use of visitor parking spaces. Knox community members are encouraged to respect the visitor only parking restriction. Community members who may violate visitor only parking restriction remain subject to a citation for the violation.
Enforcement
Any parking program requires the attention and consideration of the rules of all participants. Registered vehicles found in violation of published regulations will be ticketed and/or towed, depending on the nature of the violation, regardless of the existence of posted signs at the exact point of the violation. If signs are missing, unregistered vehicles will only be ticketed, except in extreme cases or where there are repeated violations. These regulations will be enforced 24 hours a day, unless otherwise noted.
All fines may be paid, either by check (payable to Knox College), by billing to a student account. This must be done in person at the Business Office in Old Main between 8:30 a.m. to Noon and 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday - Friday, or by returning the parking ticket to the Business Office by campus mail or U.S. mail after checking off an appropriate box for billing purposes, or by sending a check with the ticket to the Business Office, Box K-147, Knox College, 2 E. South Street, Galesburg, IL 61401.
The College reserves the right to remove and have impounded any abandoned vehicle; any vehicle found on campus or College-owned property in violation of posted parking signs or published regulations; any vehicle with an altered, unauthorized, or revoked permit; any vehicle parked in a fire lane or reserved space; any vehicle blocking a loading area or trash dumpster; any vehicle parked on lawns or walkways; any vehicle determined to be a health or safety hazard. The owner or operator will be responsible for the costs involved in removing, impounding, and storing such a vehicle.
All vehicles must be parked within the boundaries of the parking spaces. Concrete bumpers may be placed unpaved lots to delineate the parking space. Drivers should try to park accordingly.
Vehicles should be parked in such a way that will not constitute a serious hazard nor impede vehicular or pedestrian traffic, emergency vehicles, or the making of essential repairs. The fact that a person parked in violation of a regulation did not receive a citation does not authorize others to engage in similar violations, nor does it mean that the regulation is no longer in effect.
Disabled Vehicles
Disabled vehicles in College parking lots should be reported to Campus Safety as soon as possible. The owner of a disabled vehicle is responsible for its removal. Should the vehicle not be removed within an agreed time, or if it creates a problem for normal parking, Galesburg Police can designate it an abandoned vehicle and it will be towed and stored at the owner’s expense.
Snow and Snow Emergencies
Efforts will be made to have College lots plowed as soon as possible after a snowstorm. To permit proper plowing, vehicles should be moved from unplowed lots to those previously plowed. Additionally, parking spaces will first be cleared in the lot east of Fleming Fieldhouse off S. Prairie Street so that vehicles can be moved there while the other lots or spaces are cleared.
The City of Galesburg enacts a "snow emergency" on all city streets when snow accumulation has reached two inches. Vehicles parked on city streets at that time will be subject to ticketing and towing by the City of Galesburg. The parking prohibition will remain in effect on all city streets for a period of 12 hours or until the street has been completely plowed. Once the street has been plowed, the vehicles may return to the street. Listen to local radio stations for snow emergency announcements.
The following streets on or near campus are Knox College property and not subject to City Snow Emergencies: Brooks Street from S. Prairie Street to the circle drive of the Ford Center Fine Arts; W. Berrien Street from the Seymour Union loading dock to S. Academy Street; East Berrien Street between Cherry and Prairie Streets; and S.Cherry Street south of E.South Street.
Note: It is important for Knox students who may be departing the Galesburg area during winter break to move vehicles from the public streets into College lots prior to their departure in anticipation of "snow emergencies" that may be enacted during the winter break.
Violations and Penalties
A written notice of parking violation (ticket or citation) shall be affixed to each vehicle that is parked in violation of these published regulations (and any other regulations which may be promulgated during the year after community-wide notification). The following action will be taken for violations including, but not limited to:
- Illegally Parked in Handicapped Space -- $250 Fine and/or Tow
- Illegally Parked in Fire Lane -- $50 Fine and/or Tow
- Illegally Parked in Reserved Space -- $50 Fine and/or Tow
- Illegally Parked in No Parking Zone, Loading Zone, or Blocking Traffic -- $50 Fine and/or Tow
- Illegally Parked or Driving on Walkway -- $50 Fine and/or Tow
- Illegally Parked or Driving on Grass -- $50 Fine and/or Tow
- Illegally Parked in Crosswalk -- $50 Fine
- Improper Display of Current Permit -- $20 Fine
- Improper Parking, Outside Marked Lines -- $20 Fine
Appeals
Any ticket may be appealed by completing an appeal form at the Campus Safety office. Parking for personal convenience should not be considered a valid reason for appeal. This form should be received within five working days of the violation date in order for consideration. While under consideration, all fines will be held in abeyance. A response to an appeal will generally be made within 10 working days. Fines are due within seven days of notice of an appeal decision. Failure to pay a fine may result in the revocation of parking privileges.
Towing Policy
Upon towing approval, a bonded towing service will remove from College property any vehicle designated by the Campus Safety Department. The owner of the towed vehicle may recover his or her vehicle from the towing company upon payment of the appropriate charge. The Campus Safety office will have information on all vehicles towed from College property, and the owner should contact Campus Safety at 309-341-7979 prior to recovering his or her vehicle.
Before towing any registered vehicle, an attempt will be made by the Campus Safety office to notify a registered owner. The notice of violation will be written and affixed at the time. If the owner responds and moves the vehicle, no tow will be requested and only the citation and fine will remain. If the owner cannot be contacted, the towing service will be requested to tow the vehicle. If the vehicle is towed, the owner will be required to pay the towing fee and any storage fees to the towing service.
The responsibility for finding a legal parking space rests with the motor vehicle operator. Lack of space is not considered a valid excuse for violation of the parking regulations.
For further information or questions about the motor vehicle and parking regulations, please contact the Campus Safety office.