Public Safety Services

The Department of Public Safety utilizes a variety of procedures and equipment to service the Alvernia University community. Some of these services are:

 

  • Campus Security, 24/7 patrol of parking lots, buildings, dorms and all University Properties.
  • Photo Identification cards
  • Parking Passes
  • The monitoring of video surveillance and identification card access to buildings
  • Electronic Access control over buildings and dorms
  • Response to and investigation of all emergency situations
  • Response to and investigation of all reported criminal activity and behavior
  • Provide security at special campus events
  • Provide assistance with car battery issues
  • E2Campus Alert

 


Safety Escorts

The Department of Public Safety provides escorts, twenty-four hours a day/seven days a week, for community members to and from university owned property. Escorts can be requested by calling Public Safety at 610-796-8350 (please program number into cell phone for quick reference). To ensure your safety, please call Public Safety for an escort on foot or in a vehicle if for some reason you believe you may be in danger or require assistance on campus or university properties.


Transportation Services

Shuttles are run by the Alvernia Facilities Department, however Public Safety will provide transportation from any area of Alvernia University whenever the shuttles are not running or are unavailable. Transportation will include but not limited to all parking lots, Upland Center, Ken Grill, Angelica, P.E.C., and Student Center.   To call for a transport locate any call box on Campus and press the black call button or call Public Safety directly at 610-796-8350 (please program number into cell phone for quick reference)


Lost and Found

Property turned into Lost and Found is entered into a Public Safety logbook. If you are missing property, please do one of the following:

  • Come into Public Safety to fill out a missing property form
  • Contact us at 610-796-8350 and give us an accurate description of the property.
  • Email us at public.safety@alvernia.edu and give us as accurate a description of the property as possible.


Retrieving Lost Property:


If it belongs to you, you may come to our office located on the 1st floor of the Franco Library to recover it.


If you have located property that does not belong to you bring it to Public Safety and a small form will be filled out as to where and when it was recovered.

The owners of any recovered property (such as ID’s) that has an identifying feature (e.g. their name) will receive an e-mail or phone message notifying them that we have their property. They will then come in and retrieve their property.


Parking Permit issuance and Parking enforcement:

Parking permits can be obtained from the Public Safety office 24/7. You are required to appear in person with your vehicle registration card and complete a parking permit application. Our office is located on the 1st floor of the Franco Library. Students are only allowed to register (2) vehicles on campus. The cost of registration and application is free, you will be assigned a parking lot and will only be allowed to park in your assigned lot.


Parking Rules and Regulations

Parking and Vehicular Safety Policy
All motor vehicles parked on campus or at a designated remote parking area must display a current Alvernia University parking permit.  A valid state vehicle registration card must be presented at Public Safety in order to obtain a parking permit.  Parking permits are issued at the Public Safety Office, located on the 1st floor of the Franco Library.

Location of Parking Permit
The color-coded parking permit must be affixed to the front windshield on the inside lower right passenger side. The windshield must be clean, dry, and relatively warm (above 50º) for the sticker to firmly attach.

Temporary Parking Permits
A temporary parking permit is required for unregistered vehicles being parked on campus. Temporary parking permits may be obtained in the Public Safety Office.

Designated Student Parking

  • A color coded map, with parking lot designations, is available from the Office of Public Safety.
  • Students must park at their assigned parking lot and within lined designated parking spaces.
  • Students parking at areas, including public streets/roadways, rather than their assigned parking lot will be subject to ticketing for: “Violation of Parking and Vehicular Safety Policy”.  Commuter students unable to locate space in their designated parking lots will be exempt from this violation. Commuter students who are forced to park on a public street shall make sure they are not blocking residential driveways and/or mailboxes. Failure to comply may be ticketed for “Violation of Parking Policy”.
  • Students are not permitted to relocate their vehicles from their assigned parking area unless leaving campus or authorized by Public Safety Department.  Weekend and overnight parking in non-assigned lot is prohibited and will result in ticketing.  At no time is a student permitted to park in a designated faculty/staff parking lot.
  • Students may, for the purpose of loading and unloading items from their vehicle, temporarily park in a lot not designated as their assigned lot.  This time period shall be brief and not exceed 15 minutes.  If a student finds this temporary parking necessary, they shall activate their 4-way emergency flashers for the entire period they are temporarily parked.  Vehicles without 4-way flashers activated under the mentioned circumstances, will be ticketed.


Handicapped Spaces
According to Pennsylvania law, handicap spaces are reserved at all times. Cars parked illegally will be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense.

Fire Lanes
No one is permitted to park along the sides of roads or in areas marked as fire lanes. Cars illegally parked will be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense.

Speed Limit
The speed limit on campus is 15 miles per hour.

Violations
Fines will be accessed dependent upon violation and will range from $25 to $50. Violations include:

  • Parking in unauthorized areas
  • Operating a vehicle in a reckless manner
  • Failure to adhere to campus road signs
  • Operating vehicle too fast for posted conditions and/or speed limit
  • Violation of Parking Regulation- failure to park in designated parking lot.
  • Failure to register and/or display a current Alvernia parking permit after 30 days from start of school year- Fine is doubled to $50.
  • Unauthorized Use of Faculty/Staff Permit:  any student using and/or displaying an unauthorized Faculty/Staff parking permit. Fine is doubled to $50.
  • Refusing to Obey Public Safety Officer Instructions/Directions: any student failing to respond or obey a Public Safety Officers instructions regarding a traffic and/or parking issue, including failure to produce identification. Fine is doubled to $50.


Frequent Violator
Any student receiving 7 (seven) or more tickets in any given school year (paid or unpaid) will forfeit their designated sticker and privilege to park in their originally assigned lot/area.  Student will have to turn in their original sticker and will be assigned a “Habitual Violator” sticker (white and blue lines) and will be required to park at Ken-Grill parking area.  Any ticket received after receiving the “Habitual Violator” sticker, the fine will be doubled for all violations and vehicle may be immobilized at time and place of violation by use of “Boot.”

Vehicle Immobilization
The Public Safety Department will utilize the process of immobilizing (booting) vehicles that are in violation of the parking rules and regulations.  While vehicles can be booted for many reasons, the following is a short list for some of the most common infractions that cause a vehicle to be booted:

  • Multiple unpaid parking tickets.
  • For displaying a lost, stolen, or altered parking permit.
  • Frequent violator who has a white and blue lined habitual violator sticker and who has received another ticket.


Once a vehicle is booted, it is issued a ticket and a $50.00 booting fee.  The boot fee must be paid before the boot is removed from the vehicle.  Individuals whose vehicle has been booted must make contact with the Public Safety Department for boot removal. Do not attempt to move a vehicle that has been booted.  Moving the vehicle backwards or forwards may cause damage to the vehicle. Any person who tampers with or damages a boot will be responsible for any and all damages to University property. If your vehicle has been booted, please take the time to read any warning notices that are applied to your vehicle and take the appropriate corrective action.

Vehicle Towing and Removal
The Public Safety Department also reserves the right to arrange to tow, at owner’s expense, any vehicle when the location of the vehicle presents a hazardous or emergency situation and the owner cannot be located.  Below is a short list of several other common infractions that cause a vehicle to be towed:

  • Vehicles parked in such a manner as to create a hazard to other traffic or obstructing a road, loading zone, fire hydrant, handicap space or fire lane.
  • Any vehicle that is parked illegal and is detrimental to the safety of the campus.


Violations and Unpaid Fines

  • Payment is due within five (5) working days of the ticket issue date. Fines are payable in the Office of Student Accounts.
  • Unpaid fines may result in placement of a hold on a student’s official transcript, and/or diploma until full payment is received.
  • On campus parking privileges may be revoked either temporarily or permanently.


Responsibility for Violations
The student in whose name the vehicle is registered on campus is responsible for any penalties arising in connection with the possession or operation of the registered vehicle.

Appeal Process
Students who choose to appeal their violation may obtain an Appeal Form from Public Safety. Completed forms, including the reason why the appeal is being made, must be returned to the Public Safety Office within five (5) days of the ticket date. A plea of ignorance of the Alvernia University Parking Policy will not be accepted as an excuse for violation.
Alvernia University assumes NO LIABILITY for theft or damages to vehicles parked on premises

Public Safety