Use of Bulletin Boards & Posting Public Notices
Date of Current Revision: May 2007
Responsible Office: University Unions
- PURPOSE
To provide adequate bulletin board space in convenient locations to inform members of the university community of ongoing campus activities, events and notices of interest.
- AUTHORITY
The President has given the Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and University Planning the responsibility and the authority to ensure that bulletin boards & posted public notices are appropriately used for the benefit of the university community. - DEFINITIONS
None - APPLICABILITY
This policy applies to all employees, students and constituents of the university who make use of these information resources. - POLICY
Posting of information and/or announcements is limited to two flyers/posters on all general-purpose bulletin boards. All information and/or announcements must be pre-approved by University Information and comply with the information standards outlined in the procedures (below) prior to their posting on any public JMU space designated for the dissemination of information.
It is not the intent of this policy to censor or otherwise control the content of notices or other materials to be posted on bulletin boards. However, it is recommended that such materials be in good taste and comply with all standards of conduct set forth in the student handbook. For additional publicity options at JMU, please see www.jmu.edu/getthewordout .
- PROCEDURES
6.1 Posting by University Departments/Student Organizations/Students/Employees:
Bulletin Boards in University Unions:
Materials intended for posting to the general purpose bulletin boards, must be stamped with a removal date to ensure the systematic removal of outdated material and to provide space for new material. Materials may be posted for up to two weeks. No more than 100 posters per activity will be approved in order to provide adequate space for all student organization notices. Posters may not exceed 11 x 17 inches.
"For Sale" notices and personal announcements to be posted on the general purpose bulletin boards must be no larger than 8 1/2 x 11 inches to maintain uniformity and to provide space for the maximum number of notices. There is a two-week time limit on posting of personal notices.
General purpose bulletin boards in other areas of campus (i.e. Academic buildings, Athletic facilities, etc.)
All materials for posting in other areas of campus (not already identified above) should be approved by the University Information office as outlined above. Information regarding specific posting locations and requirements for these facilities may be obtained from the building manager responsible for that facility. Contact information is available at all University Information Sites.
Warren/Taylor Table Tents:
Only table tents approved by University Information or produced by University Unions staff will be permitted on tables throughout Taylor and Warren Halls.
Residence Hall Posting Information:
Residence Halls: Posters and flyers may be posted in approved locations in residence halls by contacting the hall director or resident assistants between 8:00 p.m. and midnight prior to posting. Signs or decorations may be placed in windows of student residences only with the permission of the hall director.
Additional/Special signage:
Persons responsible for conferences, conventions, workshops or other activities sponsored by the university may request signs for identification or direction by contacting the Events & Conferences Office.
Display Cases:
Display cases are located in the University Center on the second floor of Taylor Hall and in Taylor Down Under and may be reserved by contacting the appropriate office.
Case dimensions:
Some cases are 36" high and 12" deep, having sliding doors, two removable shelves, and a black tackable surface. Some are 60" wide x 36" high and 2" deep having swing doors, and a black tackable surface. In the event the shelves need to be removed for the display, they must be left in the bottom of the case.
Taylor Hall 2nd Floor:
Five display cases are available for use by recognized or pending JMU departments, student clubs/organizations. They can be reserved for a period of two weeks to advertise organization activities or provide general information. No solicitation or obscene materials will be permitted. To reserve a case, contact Events & Conferences (8-6330). Any club, organization, or department damaging the display case will be held responsible for its repair or replacement.
Taylor Down Under:
Seven display cases are available for use by JMU departments, student clubs/organizations for a total of four, non-sequential times during the academic year. Four of the seven cases have been reserved for JMU department use only and may be reserved for a period of one month. Three of the cases have been allotted for student organization use only and may be reserved for a period of two weeks beginning on Monday and ending on Sunday. To reserve a case, contact the Taylor Down Under Office (8-2806).
Banners:
There are two permissible banner locations in the University Center: on the Loft balcony facing west and the second floor of Warren Hall by the post office boxes. All spaces can be reserved by contacting Events & Conferences (8-6330). Banners must be removed at the end of the reservation period (Saturday night) or before to allow for the following week's posting.
The Loft balcony spaces can support banners up to 9' long by 3' high and can be reserved for two one-week periods beginning on Sunday and ending on Saturday. Priority is given to the University Programming Board for one of the Loft spaces. The Warren Hall spaces can support banners up to 8' long by 4' high and can be reserved for one-week periods beginning on Sunday and ending on Saturday.
There are five permissible banner locations in the Festival Conference & Student Center that are located on the second floor balcony next to the stairwell. Banners can be a maximum of 10' long and 3' high and are to be hung by the Festival staff. Banner space may be reserved for two-week periods beginning on Sunday and ending on Saturday. Priority is given to the University Program Board for one of the spaces. No more than one banner space may be used by an organization at a time.
Banners must be removed at the end of the reservation period (Sunday night) or before to allow for the following week's posting.
Student organizations or departments may reserve spaces up to four times per year with no more than one banner space used by an organization at a time.
Brochure racks:
Brochure racks are available at University Information sites across campus for use by JMU departments and student organizations and non-university businesses and organizations. All brochures must be approved by University Information Site Supervisors for placement in the racks.
Sidewalk Chalking:
Sidewalk chalking is not permitted on the JMU campus in any location for any reason without permission from University Information.
6.2 Posting by Non-university Organizations
In addition to the procedures outlined above, these specific procedures apply to non-university organizations desiring to post flyers, posters, banners, distribute materials or literature, or solicit membership on campus independently or if sponsored by a recognized student organization or university office or department.
All non-university organizations must conform to the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The university reserves the right to assign non-university organizations to specific locations for the posting of information.
At no time shall JMU grant or deny authorization of distribution or posting of information based on its content, unless such distribution or posting is commercially motivated. However, the distribution or posting of said material shall be subject to reasonable time, place, and legal restrictions.
Only a limited amount of space is available to non-university organizations. Space will be allocated on a first -come, first served basis and priority will be given to activities conducted by students, faculty, or staff (alone or in conjunction with non-university organizations) over those conducted solely by non-university organizations.
These posting regulations may not apply to non-university activities in special campus-sponsored events, as determined by the university, which occur from time-to-time on campus. However, these events have their own regulations that apply to non-university organizations.
All non-university posters, flyers, or brochures must be approved by University Information prior to posting.
6.3 Solicitation
University facilities may not be used for solicitation of faculty, staff, or students by private enterprise for profit organizations, except for solicitations for instructional materials as permitted by the Student Handbook. This includes solicitation by individual contact, free advertising on campus through flyers, posters, or similar materials, and profit-oriented activities not officially sanctioned by the university.
6.4 Specific Prohibitions
In order to maintain the natural beauty of the campus and preclude a cluttered appearance of the buildings, the following actions are specifically prohibited:
Posters, notices, announcements, or other materials will not be attached to walls, windows, doors, porches, walks, light fixtures, stairways, the outside of buildings, trees, trash receptacles, shrubs, or utility poles on campus.
Posters or announcements with dimensions exceeding 11X17 inches will not be approved for posting on bulletin boards.
Flyers or notices may not be placed in or attached to automobiles on campus.
Advertising the sale of alcoholic beverages, or any phrase or symbol that would lead the reader to believe that alcohol will be served or consumed, is prohibited.
Using duct tape, staples, pins, nails, etc. in non-standard posting locations is prohibited and may result in damage billing. - RESPONSIBILITIES
User Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the student organization, faculty group, or other university organization to:
- Take material to be posted to a University Information site in the Warren Hall, Taylor Hall Taylor Down Under, Wilson, or the Festival to have it approved and stamped with a removal date.
- Post the stamped material on "general purpose" bulletin boards in assigned areas.
- Remove the material from the bulletin board within 24 hours after the removal date.
- Include the name of the organization sponsoring the notice or event on the poster or notice.
The University Unions, University Information, Office of Clubs and Organizations, and Taylor Down Under will not be responsible for items left in the cases beyond the reservation period or for theft or damage to items displayed in the cases.
- SANCTIONS
Sanctions will be commensurate with the severity and/or frequency of the offense and may include termination of employment or judicial referral.
In addition, student organizations or departments may risk the loss of financing or official recognition.
- EXCLUSIONS
Organizations whose recognition has been withdrawn by the university will not be allowed posting privileges, access to display cases, or any other form of facility usage.
Posters and displays associated with a scheduled event in the University Unions facilities may be placed in non-standard areas for up to 24 hours with approval from University Information or the Building Coordinator. The posters must meet all regulations in this policy and must be removed immediately following the conclusion of the event.
- INTERPRETATION
The authority to interpret this policy rests with the president, and is generally delegated to the Senior Vice President for Student Affairs University Planning.
Approved by the President: May 2002
Index of Terms
Bulletin boards
Display cases
Posting
Publicizing events
Publicity
Banners