Student Government is moving forward with a plan to bring parking appeals under the control of students.

The new system would call for the final appeals process for USF Parking and Transportation Services citations to consist of a panel of students, said Dustin Sachs, Chief Justice for Student Government Supreme Court.

Sachs said the current system of appeals is administered by a university-wide committee that consists of both faculty and students.

With the new system in place, students will be able to bring their cases before a panel of their fellow students, Sachs said.

“The students can appeal to the Student Government Supreme Court, which is a Student Government branch that is made up entirely of students,” Sachs said.

The new system will become a two-tier system for USF students and faculty, Sachs said.

“If you are a student, you will appeal to the Student Government Supreme Court and if you are a faculty member, you appeal to the faculty committee,” Sachs said.

Sachs said Student Government expects the bill to be implemented by late spring 2003.

“Originally, we were under the impression that this system was going to be brought into place in the spring,” Sachs said. “It will be put into effect in the spring, but it won’t be until the end of the spring or the end of fall semester until it is actually implemented for student use.”

Sachs said the reason for the setback is a roadblock that was not previously seen.

“What we’re dealing with now is the next step, which will be on Nov. 21, of having the USF Board of Trustees to accept the concept of the system,” Sachs said. “We didn’t realize this step existed.”

Sachs added that this hurdle will only help to make sure the system is running smoothly.

“This setback will, in effect, make it better for the students because it will give us more time to figure out any kinks and problems that we have with this system,” Sachs said.

Sachs said the proposal has been in the planning stage for about a year and a half now.

Sachs said the bills that would complete the process would probably not be voted on until spring semester.

“These bills probably will not end up being voted on until February to make sure that this setback is dealt with and that we are aware of how long it will take to actually implement,” Sachs said.

Sachs said he hopes to have the first step completed by November so that they may continue on with the next step.

“We hope to be at the end of stage one by the end of November,” Sachs said. “If the Board of Trustees approves the concept, the only thing that is remaining is that the changes to existing rules need to be made.”

Sachs said that students need to make sure they are aware of these changes.

“In order for this system to be effective, students need to be mindful of the process that is taking place so that when it goes into place, we will not be dealing with students that have no clue as to what’s going on.”