A year ago when I transferred to Cal Poly SLO, I got ticketed for the same bs. There was a row of student parking, and then faculty. I parked in faculty, thinking it was student. Turns out the word "Staff" was there, but it was old and you couldn't read it.
I contested it, told them it was their fault that their freaking maintenance guy didnt paint the stuff right, and not my fault.
They let go, and I Didn't have to pay