ID and Parking

Prairie State College students and employees are required to obtain a photo identification card from the College. The PSC ID card is an official identification and, at times, must be presented to access designated labs and recreation facilities and borrow books from the PSC Library.  You can also use your ID to take advantage of student discounts on and off campus! The identification card is the property of Prairie State College and must be presented to College officials upon request.

 

 

Obtaining a Prairie State College ID is simple — present a class schedule or new hire letter and an unexpired driver’s license, state ID, or passport, and have your picture taken. Returning students must provide a class schedule and a previous PSC ID card to have it validated. There is no charge for the first card, and replacement cards are available for $5. A replacement card can be obtained free of charge if there is a name change or the card is damaged. Fees must be paid at the Business Office first.

Do not discard your student ID after the semester is over. ID cards are good for 11 consecutive semesters and must be validated in the PSC ID office each semester.


Parking

Prairie State College maintains seven parking lot areas adjacent to its campus buildings and facilities, with nearly 2,000 parking spaces. During the first few weeks of each semester, these lots reach near-full capacity, so it is always advisable to arrive early when possible.

Parking at Prairie State College is complimentary. However, it is mandatory for all vehicles parked on campus property to register with the Welcome Center, located at door M5. A parking permit or sticker will be given to each registered vehicle, and it must be displayed while parked in any lot on campus. A valid campus ID card is required to obtain a parking permit or sticker.

 

 

All vehicles parked in Lots A, B, and the Children's Learning Center must display that lot's proper and valid PSC parking permit/sticker. The designated green and short-term parking area is off the circle drive, east of the main entrance. Several spaces are marked with signs for Green Parking, and four are marked for short-term parking. Short-term parking is provided for a maximum of one hour in the designated spaces of the circle drive east of the main entrance.


Visitor parking is available in Lot A, front row, on the east side. Students and staff are not authorized to park in visitor parking. Permits may be issued to specific individuals and are not transferable. Permit holders are responsible for compliance with all parking regulations and any fines assessed. Parking Lots C, D, and E (north of Vollmer Road) are open lots, and parking without a permit is authorized except in designated spaces.

Parking permits/stickers do not expire and are valid as long as a student attends PSC; however, they are not transferable. Permits are free and can be obtained through the ID Center at door M5. Replacement stickers and second vehicle stickers are $5 each. Fees must first be paid at the Business Office, room 1110. You must have your vehicle registration or license plate number to register your vehicle. Permits are to be placed on the lower left-hand side of the back windshield. If you have tinted windows, put your parking permit in the front window on the left-hand side.

Valid vehicle registration is required for Green Parking. Your vehicle must be on the Electric Vehicle or Low Emissions Vehicle list to receive a permit for Green Parking.


Student: Students can park in the yellow-lined spaces in LOT A. White-lined spaces are for Faculty/Staff only. Students, Faculty/Staff, and visitors may park in LOT C, LOT D, and LOT E with or without parking permits/stickers.

Faculty and Staff: Faculty and staff permits are issued to all full and part-time faculty and staff at no charge. A vehicle displaying this permit can park in the designated, white-lined Faculty/Staff parking spaces in LOT B*. If the designated Faculty/Staff spaces are full, Faculty/Staff can park anywhere in LOT A. Faculty and staff may not park in LOT B (reserved for VIP and executive parking). Parking is allowed for Faculty/Staff in the Children's Learning Center lots with Faculty/Staff parking permit/stickers and red staff parking permit/stickers.

VIP: VIP permits are issued with the approval of the President's Office. A VIP permit is permanent, and no renewal is required. A vehicle displaying a VIP permit can park in designated VIP parking spaces and all reserved places, including Faculty/Staff parking, excluding areas designated as handicapped or fire lanes.

Handicapped: Handicapped placards/license plates are issued by the Illinois Secretary of State and must be displayed to park in designated handicapped places. PSC does not issue temporary permits for handicapped parking. Visit ilsos.gov for more information.

Electronic Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations: EV stations are located in LOT B at the north end of the lot against the main building.

 

 


Parking Enforcement

Vehicle code violations and handicapped and fire lane violations will be enforced by the PSC Police and Campus Safety Department (PSCPD) or the Chicago Heights Police Department (CHPD). The City of Chicago Heights will handle citations issued by CHPD according to its policies and procedures. PSCPD officers are authorized to issue parking citations for the violations listed in the Violation and Fines section below. Officers may issue warnings as appropriate. A three-part citation will be issued. Part 1 will be left on the violator’s vehicle, Part 2 will go to the PSCPD, and Part 3 will go to a suspense file.

 

 

A monetary fine will be assessed for the following violations:

  • Improper permit for a lot in which vehicle is parked
  • No PSC permit in Lot A
  • Blocking driveway/intersection/lane
  • Violation of signs
  • Parking outside yellow/white lines
  • Unauthorized parking in a loading service area
  • Parking overnight without a permit
  • Parking on grass/sidewalks/trails
  • Parking in the visitor lot without a temporary visitor permit
  • Parking in a handicapped space not displaying a placard or license plate will result in a fine of up to $350.

If a vehicle is left unattended or abandoned on PSC property, it will be towed. There are signs in the parking lots explaining the towing procedure and where you can pick up your vehicle. The cost of retrieving the vehicle from the towing company is the responsibility of the vehicle owner.


Violators will have ten calendar days from when the violation is issued to pay the fine at the Business Office, room 1110. A $5 fee will be added for late payments. Unpaid violations for students will be referred to the Business Office and added to the student’s account.

Failure to pay a fine may result in a hold placed on student records/registration, and the fine will be added to the student’s account. Part 1 of the citation may be mailed by the violator in the envelope provided. Payment of fines in the form of a money order or certified check may be mailed to the Prairie State College Business Office, 202 South Halsted Street, Chicago Heights, Illinois 60411. The Business Office will mark Part 1 as paid and forward it to the PSC police. Violators who lose the original citation may request a copy in writing using the ticket tracking form. Do not mail an appeal form in the payment envelope. Do not mail cash. 


The President or any Vice President may forgive a violation. The violator must communicate to the President or one of the Vice Presidents and argue why they feel an issued citation should be forgiven. If the President or a Vice President agrees with forgiveness, communication will be directed to the PSC police, who will contact the violator with the decision.

The Chief of Police may void a citation only when the issuing officer has made a clear administrative error. 

Parking in handicapped zones and no parking areas will not be forgiven. In addition, citations issued by the Chicago Heights Police Department cannot be forgiven/voided by the Prairie State College Police Department.