Wichita State Student Government Association recently debated parking access during basketball games when most students are still in classes. This has brought attention to the seeming lack of transparency of the appeals process for fines.

Student Mercedes Lubber said she was issued a ticket for parking in a mislabeled parking spot during a game day. After first contacting campus police, she said she was re-directed to university parking.

She contacted Zane May, student advocate, while waiting for an answer to her appeal. Then she got an answer: denied. There was no information on her denial email that would indicate the evidence had been reviewed at all by other committee members.

The ticket appeal process has changed. Originally, students could request a personal appearance in front of a court to make their case, deliberated in private and issued their decision on the same day. But they met only 10 times each year.

This was recently changed to an online-only system that allows appealing via a link included in the emailed citation. The committee that decides about granting any appeals never meets with each other or the appellant. This 7-member committee includes just one student representative, Zane May. This system is just for parking violations – traffic court still handles moving violations.

The appeal has a 20-day limit. When an appeal is denied, the appellant is issued an additional $5 fee to their original fine.

Zane is part of Student Government Association and has been at his current position since May 2016. He gives advice to students on their appeals – based on his past experiences – and helps them understand the process.

The new committee began work in mid-November.

The destination of the fee charged to the students whose appeals are denied is unclear. A close look at the financial disclosure forms of the last two years available does not show exactly how the money is spent, other than some mentions of discretionary spending of parking fees.

SGA is trying to put together a town hall for students to present their ideas on the issue of parking and the appeals process. May is working on a proposal to offer an optional quiz for first time parking violation offenders – similar to a system used by Kansas University. Mercedes is drafting her own proposal for SGA about the possibility of returning the option of an in-person appeal and chance to present evidence to students.