On average, NIU Campus Parking Services issues a ticket every 12 minutes*.

Parking Services issued 44,244 tickets last year, leading to income for NIU and more than a few frustrated students.

Angela Bennett received a ticket recently for parking in the 15-minute zone at one of the Neptune lots. The sophomore English major said the sign was confusing to her, but since it was after 7 a.m., she was given a ticket.

“It was only a $10 ticket, but I was still mad,” Bennett said.

However, the money from the tens of thousands of tickets issued each year isn’t going into the hands of some Parking Services employee.

“The fine income supports the parking operation costs,” said Laura Lundelius, coordinator of parking and traffic at NIU.

Most of the income goes to support lot maintenance, rehabilitation and reconstruction, Lundelius said. If a student does not pay a parking ticket within 21 days, the fine will be applied to their bursar’s account.

Lundelius said the most common ticket issued is due to lack of NIU registration. This particular ticket carries a $40 fine that can be reduced by half if paid within 48 hours.

Non-students that receive NIU tickets must pay as well, she said.

“If a non-affiliate accumulates three or more unpaid parking fines, their vehicle will go on our tow list,” Lundelius said.

A person with three or more outstanding parking or traffic assessments who does not pay or appeal the assessments within the time limits may be denied use of all university parking facilities or have their vehicle towed, regardless of whether the vehicle or the owner is registered and has a parking permit, according to the NIU parking rules and regulations. When all assessments have been settled, the person’s prior parking privileges may be reinstated.

Besides having a mode of transportation disabled, another good reason for students to pay their fines is found in their transcripts. The Office of the Bursar puts an encumbrance on a student, preventing them from signing up for new classes, after accumulating a balance of $100 or more. That includes unpaid parking tickets.

*44,244 tickets divided by 365 days is 121 tickets a day, divided by 42 hours is 5 tickets an hour, which equals a ticket every 12 minutes (in theory of course).