When classes began, the Department of Public Safety started handing out little slips of paper Missouri Southern students tend to dread.

This semester, students who have old tags that read “Missouri Southern State College” on their vehicles might find that yellow piece of paper under their windshield wiper, but they have no need to fear yet.

Although Public Safety is being lenient about Southern’s population having old tags, they will start passing out tickets come the second week of the spring semester to anyone not renewing their stickers.

This will include faculty and staff as well.

Public Safety says they will only give out warnings for now.

With the change to University came a need to have different parking tags for Southern faculty, staff and students.

Public Safety considers it important for everyone to get new parking tags so officers know whose vehicles belong on campus.

The department also wants to make sure someone who doesn’t belong on campus did not just buy a vehicle with old tags already on it.

“Everyone is accounted for that way,” said Ken Kennedy, Department of Public Safety manager.

Students hold mixed emotions on the subject of having to get the new tags.

“I don’t mind,” said Robbie Smith, sophomore communication major. “I like the new stickers anyway.”

Kennedy said there has not been much of a problem with the stickers.

“Most students are in compliance, but others need to do so to avoid getting sited,” Kennedy said.

In the near future, the department will be sending out E-mails to everyone as a reminder to renew their tags.

At first, officers were handing out about 300 to 400 warnings, but now it is down to about 10 to 15 a week.

“We appreciate the people who have gotten them (new tags) early, before the deadline,” said Kennedy.

“We’d like to encourage others to do the same.”

To renew old tags, students may go to the Department of Public Safety.

It is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.