Tickets Nearly Halt Graduation

Sun., May 12, 1996

Associated Press

Thanks to help from her friends, Idaho State University student Rosie Brooks was expected to graduate on Saturday, after all.

She piled up $150 worth of parking tickets. School officials told her she couldn’t take part until she paid up.

“I didn’t have $150,” she said.

Students must pay outstanding tickets, health fees, library fines and loans before they can graduate or register for classes.

Brooks tried several tactics with ISU’s Parking Office to deal with tickets she got this semester.

“I tried compromising with them to see if they’d trade slave labor for parking tickets.”

They declined. “I asked if they would take payments over the next 10 years.” Nope.

Brooks told her buddies at ISU Photographic Services, where she’s worked the last three years, about her troubles. They came to her rescue. Five employees pitched in $20 each and she covered the rest.

“They gave me a crisp $100 bill,” Brooks said. “I’ve never met better people. They’ve taught me about life, school, relationships.”

Brooks will receive her bachelor’s degree after studying sociology and criminal justice.

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