3356-4-03. University facilities - use, priorities, and fees

(A) Policy statement. The facilities of Youngstown state university ("university") are the property of the state of Ohio. The board of trustees authorizes the president to establish the fees, priorities, and procedures for the use of university facilities.

(B) Purpose. To establish standards for the responsible management of university facilities in order to maximize the positive use of university facilities and minimize disruption to the university functions or activities.

(C) Scope. This policy applies to all university, student, and non-university organizations or individuals that wish to schedule events or use university facilities.

(D) Definitions.

(1) "Facilities." Buildings, structures or land (including athletic fields, green spaces, and parking facilities) owned or leased by the university.

(2) "University organizations." All university units, departments, and offices staffed by university employees acting within the scope of their employment, including but not limited to university committees, governance bodies, and councils.

(3) "Student organizations." All student groups and organizations officially registered and recognized by the university.

(4) "Non-university organizations." Organizations other than university or student organizations that are legally separate entities from the university, even though some participants or members may be university personnel, students, or alumni. A non-university organization may be an individual.

(5) "University event." A program or activity that is administered by the university or a university organization.

(6) "Student event." A program or activity that is planned and directed by a student organization.

(7) "Non-university event." A program or activity administered by a non-university group using university facilities with no university sponsorship.

(8) "Sponsored event." A program or activity that involves both a non-university organization and a university or student organization.

(9) "Responsible office." Individual or office responsible for booking and/or scheduling use of a specific facility.

(E) Parameters for usage.

(1) Any non-university organization or individual requesting to use university facilities must complete a university agreement for use of facilities and equipment which is available from the responsible office.

(2) Activities may take place only in facilities that are appropriate for the activity in question. Considerations as to appropriateness include but are not limited to the purpose of the facilities, nature of the activity, staging requirements, anticipated attendees, and university calendar and staffing concerns..

(3) The right to use university facilities does not confer the right to use the university name or to imply university sponsorship or endorsement of an event.

(4) All individuals and/or organizations that are granted permission to use university facilities must pay all applicable fees and charges and must comply with all applicable federal, state, and municipal regulations and university rules and policies, including but not limited to the university's policies regarding alcoholic beverages on campus, drug-free environment, smoke and tobacco-free environment and minors on campus policies.

(5) No individual or organization may assign its use of university facilities.

(6) The university reserves the right to set limits on the number of reservations of facilities by non-university organizations.

(F) Priority usage.

(1) The majority of university facilities contain classrooms (indoor and outdoor), laboratories, and assorted faculty and administrative offices which are devoted to advancing the teaching and learning processes. Use of these facilities is generally limited to meeting university needs.

(2) Where there is a conflict between requests, usage decisions will be based on the timeliness of the request, the availability of alternative university facilities, and fulfillment of the university's educational and institutional needs. University and student organizations shall have priority over non-university organizations. Usage shall follow the following priorities:

(a) Priority 1. Use for regularly scheduled academic classes, labs, programs of instruction and research and activities resulting from academic courses such as rehearsals, concerts, seminars and lectures.

(b) Priority 2. University-wide events, activities, and programs such as visitation days, orientation, graduation ceremonies, university scholars and honors program, intercollegiate athletics competitive events and practices.

(c) Priority 3. Meetings, workshops, training and development programs for university employees or special academic or athletic events run or sponsored by a university organization.

(d) Priority 4. Programs or activities of registered student organizations.

(e) Priority 5. Faculty and staff recreational programs and activities.

(f) Priority 6. Programs or activities sponsored or co-sponsored by the university or student organization.

(g) Priority 7. Non-university program or activity.

(G) Event sponsorship. A university or student organization seeking to sponsor an event with a non-university organization is subject to the following requirements:

(1) The event must be consistent with the goals and purposes of the university or student organization.

(2) The university or student organization must designate a contact person who has knowledge of the non-university organization and the arrangements for the event, including the date, time, location, purpose, and number of attendees.

(3) The contact person must be present at the event.

(4) The university or student organization accepts fiscal responsibility for any fees, costs, and/or damage related to the event which the non-university organization refuses or fails to pay.

(H) Fronting prohibited. No organization or individual may front for another individual or organization. Fronting occurs when an individual or organization reserves space for the use of another individual or organization in order to conceal the identity of the true user or to help the true user avoid university policies, rules, fees, or fiscal or insurance requirements.

(I) Responsible office.

(1) Procedures for scheduling and use authorization vary among different facilities. In general, information and access to university facilities is secured through the responsible office for the facility.

(2) The responsible office shall record confirmed and approved facility use on the university's banner system or the integrated administrative database in current use by the university.

(3) When an event or program requires the use of university parking facilities, the responsible office shall contact parking services as soon as the reservation is made in order to request and schedule use of university parking facilities. The responsible office shall also contact university police and catering services if required for the event.

(J) Cost, charges, and fees.

(1) University and student events are subject to payment for the direct costs of facility usage. Direct costs include but are not limited to cost of staffing, security, setup, cleaning, food and beverage costs, and damages incurred during an event.

(2) Non-university events are subject to direct costs of facility usage as well as equipment use and rental charges.

(K) Food and alcohol. All food and beverages served in university facilities must be provided by the university's contracted food service provider unless otherwise stipulated. Requests to provide and/or sell alcoholic beverages must be approved in advance of an event. Restrictions and permit requirements for the provision and/or sale of alcohol are determined by the location of an event. Information regarding alcohol is available through the responsible office of the facility (see university policy 3356-5-10 concerning alcoholic beverages on campus).

(L) Insurance. In order to use university facilities, student and non-university organizations are subject to all applicable university insurance coverage requirements.

(M) Fundraising and commercial activity.

(1) University facilities are not available for fundraising or commercial profit purposes if the funds are designated solely to enrich an individual or commercial entity. This does not preclude fundraising or profit-making activities in support of the university or university or student organizations. University facilities and resources may not be used for political fundraising.

(2) All commercial sales, solicitations, and advertising activity on university facilities are prohibited without prior authorization from the university. Entities or individuals wishing to access the university for purposes of commercial solicitation or advertising should consult university policy 3356-7-19 concerning access to campus for commercial solicitation or advertising.

(N) Use of university facilities by nonprofit external organizations.

(1) As a service to the community, Youngstown state university may allow the use of university facilities by nonprofit external organizations for nonprofit educational, recreational, social, religious, civic, philanthropic and like purposes. Such use may not interfere in any way with the regular programs and activities of the university. External organizations are required to provide the director overseeing the facility with a current copy of the internal revenue service ("IRS") exemption letter indicating that the organization is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. (A federal identification number is not a substitute for the IRS exemption letter.)

(2) All use and rental forms, procedures, and university policies remain in effect for a nonprofit organization. Where a nonprofit organization requests a rental space discount, the availability and amount of a discount will be determined by the director overseeing the facility with final approval by the vice president of finance and business operations. Security discounts are to be determined by the university chief of police, with final approval by the associate vice president of university relations. Parking and janitorial services are unable to provide discounts.

(3) If a university department, program, or student group (collectively, "campus entity") is sponsoring or co-sponsoring a nonprofit organization for an event on campus, rental fees may be waived. However, all applicable university forms, procedures, and policies remain in effect, including but not limited to the requirement that the campus entity shall provide a representative at the event to ensure all university policies are upheld.

(O) Public safety. University policy officers may be required at certain events on campus. The chief of the Youngstown state university police department or his/her designee, in conjunction with the responsible office of the facility, will make this determination. The necessity for an amount of public safety services and other safety personnel or services shall be based on the date, time, and location of the event, the type of event, the anticipated number of attendees and any other relevant factors and statutory requirements.

(P) Change, suspension, or termination of use. The university reserves the right to change locations and/or suspend or terminate current and future usage approval for any event, program, organization or individual under the following circumstances:

(1) In the event of an emergency;

(2) When usage interferes with or disrupts university functions or use;

(3) When facilities are misused;

(4) When the user of facilities, including attendees or participants, fails to comply with a usage agreement, university policy or rule, or local, state or federal laws.

Replaces: 3356-4-03

Effective: 11/6/2015
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 3356
Rule Amplifies: 3356
Prior Effective Dates: 6/16/03, 12/20/10