Appeals
Appeals Process
The citation appeal process consists of two levels of appeal.
First level of appeal: Appeals are made online at www.utrgv.edu/myparking ithin ten (10) calendar days after the citation was issued. An appeals officer will follow a set of criteria for reviewing appeals and assess all evidence presented. The review process will be completed within fifteen (15) business days from the date of receipt of the appeal. If the appeal is granted, then no further action is required, and the appellant will be promptly notified of the decision via email. If the appeal is denied, the appellant will be informed of the decision and given an explanation for denial. If a decision is expected to be delayed, PTS staff will inform the appellant and provide a new timeline for completion. Speedy resolution is our goal, but the volume of appeals may on occasion necessitate a different deadline.
Second level of appeal: If an appellant believes that their appeal was denied in error, they may escalate their petition for a second appeal review within ten (10) calendar days after the date of the first level appeal determination by emailing citationappeals@utrgv.edu. The email should contain the reasons why the appellant believes the appeals decision is in error. The second appeal review will be coordinated by a volunteer committee of faculty, staff, and students, who will review any evidence provided and make a final decision. The committee will be a subcommittee of the Parking and Traffic Advisory Committee (PTAC) that will meet periodically for such reviews.
The following may be reasons to question the appeals process and trigger a review of your determination by the reviewing committee (this list is not exhaustive):
- The appeals officer did not reply to a specific claim made in your appeal.
- The appeals officer incorrectly applied a parking policy.
- The determination cited facts that are incorrect.
Feedback and explanations will be provided to appellants whether an appeal is granted or denied. This committee will meet periodically depending on member schedules, so please allow thirty (30) days for the review process to be completed.
Ticket Dismissal
The department may dismiss tickets that are written in error. If a ticket is dismissed, the appellant will be informed of the decision, and no further action is required.
Additional Information
Submitting an appeal does not mean that it will be granted, but rather reviewed for consideration of de-escalation. No late appeals will be accepted. All appeal decisions are final, meaning there is no staff member or committee that will further review the issue.
Evidence Presented
In order to grant an appeal, there must be substantial and valid evidence that the parking violation was not committed or that there were extenuating circumstances. Valid documentation of the evidence must be provided when the appeal is submitted. The following reasons are not considered valid (this list is not exhaustive):
- Lack of knowledge of parking rules and regulations. (Found on our website at www.utrgv.edu/parking
- Mentioning that other vehicles may have been parked improperly.
- Mentioning that the vehicle was parked improperly for a ‘short’ period of time.
- Accusation that an officer failed to issue a citation previously for similar offenses.
- Accusation that an officer failed to cite others for similar offenses.
- Being late to class or an appointment.
- Inability to pay the amount of the citation.
- Having no other place to park.
- Lack of parking spaces in the area you’d like to park.
- Expectation that only a warning would be received.
- Mentioning that your peer’s appeal was granted for the same infraction.
- Citing the lack of parking spaces at UTRGV.
- Assuming that a permit guarantees you a parking space.
Violations that present an issue of safety, security, or blocked access will not be granted under any circumstance.
Any appeal found to be fraudulent will result in disciplinary action against students and employees. Students may be subject to penalties ranging from disciplinary probation to expulsion from the University as outlined in the Regents’ Rules and Regulations, Series 50101.
The Parking and Transportation Department will make every effort to ensure that the citation appeal process is fair, impartial, and consistent. The department reserves the right to modify this policy at any time. It is the responsibility of all members of the university community to comply with this policy.