Parking forms infuriate

Students thought they were the only ones who had parking problems, but faculty and staff might have to deal with a bite out of their paycheck for unpaid parking tickets.

An increased effort to patrol parking by Oberlin College and the Office of Safety and Security resulted in a major addition to the parking registration form sent out to faculty and staff. A statement on the form stipulated that by signing the registration, faculty and staff would authorize Oberlin College to deduct any unpaid fines from their salaries.

�Staff and faculty had trouble giving carte blanche to Oberlin College to deduct from our wages,� said Julie Weir, president of the Oberlin College Office of Professional Employees, the union representing 189 office and professional employees.

OCOPE instructed its members to cross out the statement on the registration form which read �In addition, by signing below, I authorize Oberlin College to deduct from my wages any fees, penalties, and/or fines associated with permit issuance and/or any violation of Oberlin College parking regulations.�

According to Weir, OCOPE not only objected to the possibility of garnishing wages but also believed that the language in the registration form was so general that it allowed for various interpretations. Weir said, �They used very broad terminology. No one can deduct money from your paycheck without you giving authorization.�

Director of Safety and Security Keith James said, �We are reviewing the situation. We are aware of the concerns.�

Some OCOPE members who crossed off the statement in question received parking permits, while others did not. Those that did not receive permits have been subject to ticketing by security officers.

�The union had advised us to cross out the sentence. Security did not issue a parking permit because we did that, and a few of us received tickets,� said Thelma Roush, secretary to the Religion and History departments.

Roush solved her problem by going to the Office of Safety and Security and filling out the form in person. �They didn�t care that we crossed it out, as long as we acknowledged the other statement,� said Roush.

The other statement that security wanted acknowledged read, �By signing below I acknowledge that I have received the Oberlin College parking regulations and I agree to comply with them.� OCOPE voiced no concern over the inclusion of this statement in the form, which has appeared on the parking registration form in the past.

When OCOPE went to the bargaining table for its new contract this summer, they did not include parking in the negotiations. �We, as a union, have a right to negotiate parking,� said Weir. OCOPE is currently negotiating the parking problem with the College.