You sent them to college with a car and they are grateful. However, although it will make a weekly Publix run easier, no one really thought about the fact that parking at FAU can be pretty inconvenient and tends to be a problem every year. There are not enough parking spots for as many students live on or drive to campus.

For those that do have cars, parking permits, are required for all vehicles. At FAU, there are 3 color distinctions given to each parking lot: Blue, Red, and Green. The Blue lots are reserved for Commuter students. Green lots are reserved for residential students and red is reserved for faculty and staff. Students must register their vehicles online to obtain an EPermit. This is FAU’s new system that uses a student’s license plate to grant virtual parking decals.  If you are in need of a permit. Students can pay a Transportation Access Fee along with their tuition to receive their permit. Their vehicle must be registered and associated with the virtual permit in order to park in student spaces.

It sounds simple enough, but somehow students occasionally get in trouble and unpaid parking violations can result in towing, booting, or the delay of registration for a new semester. You will need your FAU net Id and password. You can also go to the Parking and Transportation office in Student Services Building 80.

Picture these scenarios:
They come home late and just want to park near their dorm, so they park in Lot 23 and promise themselves that they will get up early and move the car before 7:00 am. In theory, it is a great idea, because they have so much to do the next day and they can take a nap later. Their intentions are good, but they hit snooze too many times and by the time they get to move the car, the ticket is flapping in the breeze.

They are rushing to campus from their apartment (or sometimes from one side of campus to the other) and although they planned to leave early that morning, their blow dryer wasn’t cooperating and now they must rush. When they get to campus there are no spots available near their class and if they go to the other lots they will be really late, so maybe just this one time they won’t get ticketed. Besides, which is worse, walking in late again or a parking ticket? They loan their roommate/sorority sister/fraternity brother/friend from down the hall, their car, and because the said friend doesn’t own a car, they are unaware of the parking situation on campus and park it someplace they believe is safe, but they are unknowingly wrong. Your student won’t realize this until the next time they go to use their car and by then there are five tickets; one for each day the car was parked in an unauthorized spot.

Note: Do not park your car in reverse under any circumstance; this will result in a citation. Fellow Parents, when you visit there are options and rules regarding parking for us too. There are a few visitor parking lots located around campus: The Alumni Center (lot 7), Student Support Services (lot 18), The Library (lot 19), Administration Circle, and the Palm Beach Plaza. All the Visitor lots have metered parking for $2.00 per hour.

For commuters who have morning classes, there is a lot of traffic getting on campus and a parking spot. Maybe consider going extra early to nab that spot near your class. Worried about losing sleep? Catch some zzz’s in your car before class starts. If you get there when everyone else does, you could always follow people in the parking lot or garage as they walk to their car; sounds a little creepy but if you are patient, you may grab that coveted spot.

Visitor Permits can be purchased for a daily rate of $5.00, Weekly rate of $15.00, or Monthly rate of $30.00. With the lack of parking, students may want to consider using the Red and Blue Shuttle bus, which runs throughout campus and is free. Event parking differs a bit too. Information on event parking. It is not uncommon for students who live near the stadium to have to move their cars prior to game day.

Parking citations at FAU are $25.00 so many students do not think of it as a big deal. Students can try to appeal their citations but only very few have successfully done it. Also, FAU doesn’t do parking enforcement on the weekend, so on the weekend, they can park at the red lot in front of Living Room Theaters to park a little closer than normal (if they live in GPT, HPT, or IRT). If we have thoroughly confused you, we apologize, but we did start by saying parking tends to be a problem at FAU. Our advice; get a bicycle or check out other transportation options.

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Your student got in trouble. Or they are having trouble. Now what? It’s not uncommon.  Sometimes even “the best kids” end up getting in trouble in some fashion during college. It could be as simple as a parking ticket, or as big as a charge of plagiarism.  Problems with a roommate, an apartment lease, getting caught underage drinking, are just a few of the issues that can play havoc with a college student and their parents.  No matter how well we’ve warned them to be safe, and follow school rules, it is important to also know what to do if trouble arises.

First, breathe.  Your student is probably freaking out and is terrified to talk to you.  Remain calm and get all of the facts. Remind your child to obtain and keep all paperwork and information.  At Florida Atlantic University, there are several avenues in which an issue may be resolved. The Division of Student Affairs engages, supports, and develops students and the University community by providing exemplary services, programs, and facilities as they foster a caring and inclusive environment. Here is a complete list where your student can go to find resources for resolving issues such as academics, mental health counseling, and roommate conflicts to name a few.

Not surprisingly, the Boca Raton and FAU police departments take underage drinking very seriously and can be seen handing out MIPs on and off-campus, otherwise known as a Minor in Possession. This is considered to be in violation of the Student Code of Conduct. If a student is a dependent and under the age of 21, it is reported to the Dean’s Office and the University is permitted to inform parents or guardians. Students will be required to visit the Dean’s Office, partake in a community service project, and enroll in a $100 Alcohol Awareness Course. FAU’s Alcohol Policy may be found here within the student code of conduct.

As for student code and conduct violations, FAU utilizes the Dean of Students Office to deal with these issues. Violations include plagiarism, cheating, university housing code violations, and Greek Conduct violations, among others. Each violation is dependent on the overseeing committee’s discretion and the degree of the violation.

There have been students who are pulled over and ticketed for not having their school address on their license. That will not hold up in court as non-resident college students attending college in Florida may drive in Florida without having a Florida driver’s license if they have a valid license from another state or country. For resident college students, a Florida Statute exempts students while at school in Florida so they are allowed to keep their home address.

If they do get in trouble and you need to contact someone at the University, here is a list of important contacts to have on hand.

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