Solicitations, Advertisements, and Printed Materials

General Policy

The primary mission of the college is educational. The college is responsible for promoting and protecting the intellectual and cultural growth and development of the institution and the members of its community. Therefore, no solicitations or adver­tisements, and no sales, displays, or distributions of publications on the campus are permissible except as provided for below.

Definitions

Solicitation is defined as requesting money, seeking agree­ment to pay, taking subscriptions, selling merchandise or tickets, and/or offering any other comparable materials and privileges, in person, or by handbills, posters, or similar materials, to promote sales.

Advertisements are the displays of any items which have, as an integral part of their design, the identification of a consumer product or service.

Printed materials are publications, handbills, posters, leaf­lets, and other written matter intended for public distribution, sale or display on campus.

Solicitations

Jurisdiction

1. All regulations pertaining to on‑campus and off‑campus solicitations by students and student organizations shall be administered by the Student Services Office.
2. All regulations pertaining to on‑campus and off‑campus solicitations by college departments shall be administered by the judicial officer or designee.
3. All regulations pertaining to the off‑campus solicitations of ex‑students and friends of the college shall be administered by the Director of Institutional Advancement in conjunction with the Alumni Association.

Solicitations are prohibited on the campus except for the following events and organizations:

• Altruistic or charitable projects.
• Scholarship fund drives.
• Service projects.
• Educational or cultural projects having community‑wide benefits.
• Membership drives, fund raising projects, and canvassing by campus student organizations.
• Governmental agencies.
  • U.S. Postal Service.
  • Armed Services.
• College departments.
• Alumni Association.
• Contract vending machine companies.
• Local newspapers and periodicals.
• Demonstrations of educational, instructional, or office equipment.

The regulating offices may grant special permission for solicitation purposes or places not listed above if exceptional circumstances justify such approval. Permission will not be granted for a request which violates any local, state, or federal law.

Solicitations, if authorized, are generally prohibited in college buildings with the following exceptions:

1. The SUB/Student Centers, wherein merchandise is sold in accordance with the regulations established by the management of those facilities.
2. The residence halls, as long as the solicitation is either conducted entirely within a student’s room with the consent of the roommate(s), or in assigned public areas. Sales parties and group demonstrations advertising projects are not allowed in lounges, meeting rooms, or other public areas.

Requests for permission to solicit are granted for a specified period of time. In order to be eligible to solicit, an individual must present current student, faculty, staff or vendor identification and complete the request form provided by the authorizing office. A permit to solicit may be revoked by the authorizing office before the expiration of the specified time period, if the solicitation violates any of the regulations pertaining to solicitations and advertising or sale, display, or distribution of printed materials.

Decisions by the judicial officer rejecting or revoking permission for students or a student organization to solicit may be appealed to a college administrator appointed by the President.

1. A person or organization desiring to appeal must file a written appeal with the college administrator appointed by the President, which describes the objections to the decision of the judicial officer.
2. After receiving the appeal, the college administrator appointed by the President shall notify the person or organization and the judicial officer of the appeal decision within five (5) college working days.
3. At the Dean of Students’ level the person or organization will have exhausted the right of appeal within the college.

Advertisements

1. No advertisements by commercial organizations, either as groups or through student representatives, are allowed on the campus except through established advertising policies of the College, or official college organizations in approved commercial publications, programs, or brochures.
2. Individuals and commercial organizations attempting to display or distribute unauthorized materials on campus or use campus facilities for such activity will be escorted from the campus and will be subject to appropriate legal action.
3. No advertisement is permitted on the exterior side of resi­dence hall room doors or within public areas of the residence halls.
4. Amplification equipment may not be used to advertise or promote sales in conjunction with any approved solicitation activity unless authorized in advance.

Printed Materials

1. Only individuals affiliated with the college (i.e., students, faculty, or staff) may distribute handbills, leaflets, or any other type of printed materials on the campus.
2. Students and student organizations are not required to secure prior approval concerning the content or distribution of such materials as leaflets and handbills. The materials, however, may not conflict with the provisions of the Student Standards of Conduct & Disciplinary Policy and must be in accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws. Solicitation materials must conform to the aforementioned solicitation policy.
3. Printed materials may not be placed on the windshields of cars parked in college parking lots without permission of the vehicle owners.
4. Specific permission for distribution of printed materials must be obtained from the Student Services Office.
5. Posters, signs, and announcements are to be displayed only on college announcement boards provided for that purpose. The college announcement boards are restricted for use by registered student organizations, academic departments, and administrative units of the college. Commercial signs or announcements are prohibited.
6. Bulletin boards belonging to academic and administrative departments are for official college use only. Students are required to gain consent of the Student Services Office prior to displaying and/or posting signs, announcements, or posters.  Because of space limitations, posters may not exceed a maximum size of 22” by 17”. Posters may not be displayed earlier than two (2) weeks prior to the specified event. Posters should not be posted on glass doors because of the danger involved to those who use the passageway and should be hung in accordance with the instructions provided by the Student Services Office. Posters should be removed immediately following the event.
7. Posters, announcements, banners, cards, or other campaign material for any individuals seeking public office may not be posted or displayed on, or in, any academic or administrative buildings, campus grounds, or parking lots. Such campaign material for individual’s seeking public office may be posted only in an individual’s assigned residence hall room or in the SUB or Recreation Hall.
8. Publications may be sold in the SUB, Recreation Hall, and the Bookstore in accordance with the regulations established by the management of these agencies.